Blood donations urgently needed, here are 2 opportunities to donate

Due to a nationwide blood shortage, doctors are sometimes forced to make difficult decisions about which patients receive blood and which ones must wait, according to a recent news release from the American Red Cross.

“We’re doing everything we can to increase blood donations to ensure every patient can receive medical treatments without delay, but we cannot do it without more donors,” Dr. Pampee Young, chief medical officer of the Red Cross, said in the release. “We need the help of the American people.”

In response, the University of St. Francis will host an American Red Cross blood drive from 1 to 6 p.m. March 9 in the Assembly Hall Gym at USF’s St. Clare Campus at 1550 Plainfield Road in Joliet.

To make an appointment, call 1-800-733-2767 or visit redcrossblood.org. Save up to 15 minutes when you donate blood by using RapidPass at redcrossblood.org/RapidPass.

Consider making a Power Red donation if you are an eligible type O, B-negative or A-negative donor, according to the release.

“Power Red is similar to a whole blood donation, except a special machine is used to allow you to safely donate two units of red blood cells during one donation while returning your plasma and platelets to you,” according to The Red Cross website.

In advance, all donors must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test dated within one week.

On March 13, Plainfield Chapter 2197 of the Women of the Moose will host a blood drive from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Plainfield Moose Lodge 2491, 16310 S. Lincoln Highway in Plainfield. All donors will receive a $5 voucher for breakfast at the lodge on that day.

To schedule an appointment, visit bit.ly/35agph1.