Summer brings uptick in blood need

School is out, and summer is in full swing. During this prime time for vacations, many people do not make it to a blood drive or donation center, making this time of year one of the most difficult for organizations like the American Red Cross and others that depend on donors.

“The need for blood doesn’t get to go on summer vacation,” said Michelle Rupp, biomedical field marketing and communications manager for the American Red Cross.

As an incentive for people to donate during the upcoming holiday weekend, the American Red Cross will present donors with a Red Cross-embroidered baseball hat today through Monday, while supplies last.

“That’s our special Independence Day promotion,” Rupp said. “It’s just a little added incentive to keep blood donations at the forefront of their minds during the holiday. … Before you celebrate, save a life.”

Summer is traditionally a time of low donations, and Rupp said the combination of school being out and people going on vacation is part of that drop in contributions.

“The summer presents a unique challenge,” she said. “About 20 percent of our blood donations come from blood drives on high school and college campuses. They’re out in the summer, but we still need the blood.”

Rupp said she has been a regular donor for a long time, and she often tells people how easy — and important — it is to donate blood if possible.

“What an easy way to give back,” she said. “The most it’s costing me is about an hour of my time — 60 minutes, and I could be saving three lives. I can do that. It makes so much sense.”

The American Red Cross is in its 100 Days of Summer — 100 Days of Hope campaign, and Rupp said the organization is emphasizing the theme “Choose Your Day” to remind people to donate at least once between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

“You have 100 days of summer, so choose your day,” she said.

While all blood types are needed regularly, Rupp said there is a special need for O-negative, A-negative and B-negative types, as well as blood platelets.

According to the American Red Cross, every two seconds, someone needs blood in the United States, and more than 41,000 blood donations are needed every day. The average red-blood-cell transfusion uses approximately 3 pints, and donations help a variety of people, including accident victims, cancer patients and sickle-cell patients.

Unlike other body components, such as heart valves and bones, blood cannot be manufactured and becomes available only through donations. The American Red Cross estimates that 38 percent of people living in the U.S. are eligible to donate blood, but less than 10 percent actually do so each year.

The entire blood-donation process — including registration, a medical history and mini-physical, the donation and refreshments — takes about an hour. The donation portion typically takes 10 to 12 minutes or less. A healthy donor may donate red blood cells every 56 days.

To find out how to donate, visit www.redcrossblood.org. Listed below are blood drives scheduled for July in the Three Rivers Edition coverage area:

July 2

Summit Hospice Providers

403 S. Poplar, Suite F

Searcy

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

First Electric Cooperative

1000 S. J.P. Wright Loop Road

Jacksonville

Noon to 4 p.m.

July 3

Walmart Supercenter

2000 John Harden Drive

Jacksonville

2-6 p.m.

July 7

American Red Cross Blood Center

1120 S. Main St.

Searcy

Noon to 5 p.m.

Defiance Metal Products

944 Bypass Road

Heber Springs

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

July 8

Arkansas State University-Beebe

1000 Iowa St.

Beebe

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

July 10

American Red Cross Blood Center

1120 S. Main St.

Searcy

Noon to 5 p.m.

July 11

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

424 E. Main St.

Batesville

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 14

Eaton Hydraulics

400 Lincoln

Searcy

1-5 p.m..

July 15

Merchants and Planters Bank

915 Arkansas 367 N.

Newport

2-6 p.m.

July 17

Oakdale Nursing and Rehabilitation

101 Cynthia St.

Judsonia

11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

July 18

Arkansas State University-Beebe’s Owen Center Gym

1000 Iowa St.

Beebe

8 a.m. to noon

Mount Zion Lodge No. 10

985 Batesville Blvd.

Batesville

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Walmart Supercenter

3150 Harrison

Batesville

Noon to 5 p.m.

July 20

First Baptist Church

204 N. Third St.

Cabot

2-6 p.m.

July 21

American Red Cross

Blood Center

1120 S. Main St.

Searcy

Noon to 5 p.m.

July 22

Searcy Fire Department

501 W. Beebe-Capps Expressway

Searcy

11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

July 23

Flatwoods Baptist Church

2709 E. Main St.

Mountain View

1-6 p.m.

July 24

American Red Cross Blood Center

1120 S. Main St.

Searcy

Noon to 5 p.m.

Walmart Supercenter

304 S. Rockwood

Cabot

2:30-6:30 p.m.

First United Methodist Church

308 W. Main St.

Jacksonville

3-7 p.m.

Walmart Supercenter

3150 Harrison St.

Batesville

Noon to 5 p.m.

July 26

First Baptist Church

611 Van Buren St.

Judsonia

Noon to 4 p.m.

July 27

Walmart Supercenter

2003 W. Center St.

Beebe

2-6 p.m.

July 28

American Red Cross Blood Center

1120 S. Main St.

Searcy

Noon to 5 p.m.

First Security Bank

1801 W. DeWitt Henry Drive

Beebe

11 a.m to 3 p.m.

White River Medical Center

1710 Harrison St.

Batesville

1-6 p.m.

Walmart Supercenter

1500 Arkansas 25B N.

Heber Springs

Noon to 3 p.m.

July 30

Veterans Park Community Center

508 N. Lincoln

Cabot

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

July 31

American Red Cross Blood Center

1120 S. Main St.

Searcy

Noon to 5 p.m.

Pinnacle Structures Inc.

2665 Arkansas 321 Bypass

Cabot

11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Staff writer Angela Spencer can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or aspencer@arkansasonline.com.

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