Blood donors urgently needed in Will County - especially type O

The American Red Cross has put out an emergency call for blood donations and Brian S. McDaniel, executive director of the Illinois River chapter is asking the community to help.

McDaniel said the Red Cross does not issue an emergency call unless the situation is serious.

“The need is very real,” McDaniel said. “The only way you can get blood for other people is to donate blood. We can’t create it in a lab. It’s very critical that we have people donating, every 56 days if they can.”

A news release from the American Red Cross on Tuesday said it’s distributed approximately 12% more blood products to U.S. hospitals this year compared to the same time last year. This means the Red Cross must collect “more than 1,000 additional blood donations each day to meet the current hospital demand and end the severe blood shortage,” the release said.

Although all blood types are needed, type O donations are especially low. The Red Cross only has a day’s worth in supply, the release said. Blood type O negative is the universal donator for all blood types, McDaniel said. So the need is especially urgent for O negative blood donations, he added.

“If the hospital doesn’t have time to type you and has to say your life, O is going to be the blood it provides,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel said the Red Cross has also an urgent need for African American donors, too. A 2020 Herald-News story said patients with sickle cell anemia often rely on blood transfusions to manage their disease, sometimes up to 10 units a month, according to the American Red Cross website.

But many sickle cell patients have rare blood types and rely on Black donors to donate.

When not enough people donate blood, elective surgeries have to be postpone, McDaniel said.

“Summer is here, people are going on vacations,” McDaniel said. “People get out of their normal routines. That’s why the blood supply tends to dimmish this time of the year. So it’s really urgent for people to keep those appointments they’ve already made or schedule an appointment if they have the time.”

Can people who received the COVID-19 vaccine donate?

Yes, the Red Cross news release said. But it’s important to know which vaccine you received. The Red Cross website said, “Eligible blood donors who received a live attenuated COVID-19 vaccine or do not know what type of COVID-19 vaccine they received must wait two weeks before giving blood.”

The U.S. Food and DRug Administration has more information about vaccines and blood donors on its site at fda.gov.

Those who donate blood and platelets from Aug. 1 to Aug. 13 will have a chance to win a trip for two to the sold-out 2021 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. August donors will also receive a free four-month subscription offer to Apple Music by email. Offer reserved for new subscribers only, the release said.

For more information, visit RedCrossBlood.org/FeelTheBeat.

In Will County, people can donate from 9 to 2 p.m. Aug. 6 and 1 to 6 p.m. Aug. 11 at American Red Cross, 1293 Windham Parkway in Romeoville.

Or schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

In addition, Versiti Blood Center of Illinois has a donor facility at 2625 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet. Visit donate.illinois.versiti.org and click the “Schedule to Donate” tab.