Urgent call for blood donors

BloodDriveTulsaThe American Red Cross is facing a looming local blood shortage and an urgent need for donors of all blood types to roll up a sleeve and give.

Donations through the Red Cross are down approximately 8 percent over the last 11 weeks, resulting in about 80,000 fewer donations than expected. The number of donors continues to decline, and the shortfall is significant enough that the Red Cross could experience an emergency situation in the coming weeks. 

In addition, the Independence Day holiday falling on Friday reduced the number of blood drives scheduled in early July. Many sponsors did not host drives because people took vacations either over the long weekend or for the entire week. In an average summer week, about 4,400 Red Cross blood drives are scheduled, compared to Independence Day week when only 3,450 drives occurred.

BloodDrive1“Hospital patients continue to need lifesaving blood this summer, and they’re relying on the generosity of volunteer donors to give them hope in the days and weeks ahead,” said Tricia Quinn, CEO for the Red Cross Southwest Blood Services Region. “Please, consider giving the gift of life. Each day donations come up short, less blood is available for patients in need – and you never know when it could be your loved one needing blood.”

Eligible donors with types O negative, B negative and A negative blood are especially needed at this time. Type O negative is the universal blood type and can be transfused to anyone who needs blood. Types A negative and B negative can be transfused to Rh positive or negative patients.

The summer can be among the most challenging times of the year for blood donations as regular donors delay giving while they take vacations and participate in summer activities. When school is out of session for summer break, donations from those who normally give on campus tend to drop by more than 80 percent.

Every day this summer is a chance to give hope to patients in need and their network of family and friends. July 13 marked the half-way point for the Red Cross campaign “100 Days of Summer. 100 Days of Hope.” Blood is needed now and for the rest of the summer. Individuals who donated blood earlier this summer may now be eligible to donate again and help patients such as accident victims, heart surgery patients and children with blood disorders.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Cherokee County
July 31 from noon 4 p.m. at C3/Customer Contact Channels, 112 Main Parkway in Tahlequah, Okla.

Craig County
July 23 from 2 – 7 p.m. at Ketchum Seventh-day Adventist Church, 35369 S. Hwy 82 in Vinita, Okla.

Creek County

  • July 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Olive High School, 9352 S. 436 W. Ave in Drumright, Okla.
  • July 29 from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Harsco Industrial Air-X-Changers, 2400 Industrial Road in Sapulpa, Okla.
  • August 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. John Medical Center, 1004 E. Bryan Ave. in Sapulpa, Okla.

Delaware County
July 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Arvest Bank, 1818 S. Main in Grove, Okla.

Mayes County

  • July 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tiger Plaza, 921 S. Mill St. in Pryor, Okla.
  • July 31 from noon -4 p.m. at MESTA, 4 Redden St. in Pryor, Okla.

McIntosh County

  • July 28 from 2 – 6 p.m. at Senior Citizen Community Center, 121 High St. in Eufaula, Okla.
  • August 4 from 2 -6:30 p.m. at Senior Activity Center, 611 N. Broadway in Checotah, Okla.

Muskogee County

  • July 23 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Council Hill Community Center, 105 S. Broadway in Council Hill, Okla.
  • July 25 from 2 – 6 p.m. at Arrowhead Mall, 501 S. Main in Muskogee, Okla.
  • August 7 from 2 – 6 p.m. at First Free Will Baptist Church/Activity Center, 1487 E. Poplar in Fort Gibson, Okla.
  • August 7 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Muskogee Civic Center, 425 Boston St. in Muskogee, Okla.

Okmulgee County
July 30 from 1:30 – 6 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 302 S. Seminole in Okmulgee, Okla.

Osage County
August 6 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at City Hall, 409 W. Main in Barnsdall, Okla.

Ottawa County
July 30 from 1 -6 p.m. at High Winds Casino, 61475 E. 110 Road in Miami, Okla.

Pittsburg County
July 31 from noon to 6 p.m. at Church of Christ, 1700 S. Main St. in McAlester, Okla.
July 24 from 2 to 6:30 p.m. at American Legion Post 180, 1701 Pennsylvania Ave., Hartshorne, Okla.

Rogers County

  • July 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Carlisle Brake & Friction, 1110 W. Tenkiller Road in Catoosa, Okla.
  • August 5 from 1 – 6 p.m. at Claremore Church of the Nazarene, 1336 N. Dorothy Ave. in Claremore, Okla.

Tulsa County

  • July 22 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Mary K. Chapman Health Plaza, 1819 E. 19th St. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 22 from 2 to 6 p.m. at Masonic Lodge 165, 1702 W. Broadway in Collinsville, Okla.
  • July 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at TechRidge Office Park Seminole Building, 9810 E. 42nd St. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 23 from 1 to 5 p.m. at First Bank of Owasso, 8601 N. Garnett Road in Owasso, Okla.
  • July 23 – 25 from 1:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Woodland Hills Mall, 7021 S. Memorial in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Indian Health Care Resource Center, 550 S. Peoria in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. John Owasso, 12451 E. 100th St. N. in Owasso, Okla.
  • July 24 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Oklahoma State University Medical Center, 744 W. 9th St. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wal-Mart Supercenter 168, 12101 E. 96th St. N. in Owasso, Okla.
  • July 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lowes Store 1536, 1900 E. Hillside in Broken Arrow, Okla.
  • July 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Woodland Hills Mall, 7021 S. Memorial in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Promenade Mall, 4107 S. Yale Ave. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Grace Church Auditorium Building, 9610 S. Garnett Road in Broken Arrow, Okla.
  • July 27 from noon to 6 p.m. at Woodland Hills Mall, 7021 S. Memorial in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 28 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Kensington Plaza, 7130 S. Lewis in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 29 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Joe Cooper Ford of Tulsa, 3400 S. Sheridan Road in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 29 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tulsa Federal Credit Union, 9323 E. 21st St. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Stillwater National Bank, 1500 S. Utica Ave. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • July 30 from noon to 6 p.m. at Jenks City Hall, 211 N. Elm St. in Jenks, Okla.
  • July 31 from 3 to 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 13307 E. 96th St. N. in Owasso, Okla.
  • July 31 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hillcrest Hospital South, 8801 S. 101st E. Ave. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • August 1 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Tulsa Blood Donation Center, 10151 E. 11th St. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • August 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Farmers Insurance, 3510 S. 79th E. Ave. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • August 2 & 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Woodland Hills Mall, 7021 S. Memorial in Tulsa, Okla.
  • August 3 from 11:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Southern Hills Baptist Church, 5590 S. Lewis Ave. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • August 4 from 3 to 8 p.m. at St. Andrews Lutheran Church, 3210 S. 113th W. Ave. in Sand Springs, Okla.
  • August 6 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Southern Ridge, 6506 S. Lewis Ave. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • August 8 from noon to 4 p.m. at Metal Panels Inc., 131 S. 147th E. Ave. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • August 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cox Convention Center, 100 Civic Center in Tulsa, Okla.
  • August 10 from 11:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier Activity Center, 2434 E. Admiral Blvd. in Tulsa, Okla.
  • August 10 from noon to 3 p.m. at Cornerstone Free Will Baptist Church, 7770 N. Whirlpool Drive in Sperry, Okla.

Wagoner County
July 28 from 2 to 6 p.m. at Coweta Public Library, 120 E. Sycamore St. in Coweta, Okla.

Washington County

  • August 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Adams Blvd Church of Christ, 3700 SE Adams Blvd. in Bartlesville, Okla.
  • August 7 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Adams Blvd Church of Christ, 3700 SE Adams Blvd. in Bartlesville, Okla.
  • August 8 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Adams Blvd Church of Christ, 3700 SE Adams Blvd. in Bartlesville, Okla.

How to donate blood
Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.