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Emergency Blood Shortage: Red Cross Makes Urgent Call for Donors

All eligible donors are urgently needed to give now to help replenish the blood supply.
Credit: American Red Cross

Columbia, SC (WLTX) — The American Red Cross says it is facing an emergency blood shortage following a difficult Fourth of July week for blood donations. They say blood is being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in right now.

Officials say the shortage comes after more than 550 fewer blood drives were organized by businesses and other community groups last week than during a typical week as individuals across the country celebrated the holiday and enjoyed summer activities. This could equate to as many as 15,000 fewer donations than needed, they say.

Officials say they need all blood types -- especially type O.

"Type O is the most in-demand blood type and often the first to be depleted from hospital shelves during a shortage, according to the Red Cross. “Type O negative is the universal blood type and what emergency room personnel reach for when there is no time to determine the blood type of patients in the most serious situations.”

How to Help

To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross has added about 6,500 additional appointment slots at donation centers and community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to accommodate more donors. Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate

Upcoming Blood Donation Opportunities July 9-31

KERSHAW COUNTY

Camden

  • 7/19/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Heritage Community Bank, 2220 West Dekalb Street
  • 7/21/2018: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Hadoth Lodge #250, 1000 York Street

LEXINGTON COUNTY

Chapin

  • 7/20/2018: 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Wilson Financial Group, 111 Columbia Avenue

Gilbert

  • 7/21/2018: 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 246 St Pauls Church Rd

Lexington

  • 7/9/2018: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Salsaritas Lexington, 5135 Sunset Blvd
  • 7/11/2018: 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Lexington County Sheriff's Department, 521 Gibson Rd
  • 7/11/2018: 12:30 p.m. - 5 p.m., Lexington County Sheriff's Department, 521 Gibson Rd
  • 7/23/2018: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Mt. Horeb United Methodist Church, 1205 Old Cherokee Rd.
  • 7/28/2018: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Boiling Springs United Methodist Church, 2373 Calks Ferry Road

West Columbia

  • 7/12/2018: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., City of West Columbia, 200 North 12th St.
  • 7/13/2018: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Cayce West Columbia Public Library, 1500 Augusta Rd.
  • 7/15/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Brookland Baptist Church, 1066 Sunset Blvd
  • 7/19/2018: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Lexington Medical Center, 2720 Sunset Blvd.
  • 7/22/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church, 1000 B Ave

RICHLAND COUNTY

Blythewood

  • 7/9/2018: 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Fairfield Electric Cooperative, Inc, 701 Blythewood Road

Columbia

  • 7/9/2018: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/10/2018: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., SC Probation, Parole & Pardon Services, 2221 Devine Street
  • 7/10/2018: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Palmetto Health Children's Hospital, 7 Richland Medical Park Drive
  • 7/10/2018: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/11/2018: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/12/2018: 9:45 a.m. - 5 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/12/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Merrill Lynch, 1301 Gervais Street
  • 7/13/2018: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/14/2018: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/15/2018: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/16/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Walmart, 321 Killian Road
  • 7/16/2018: 11:45 a.m. - 7 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/16/2018: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Shandon Presbyterian Church, 607 Woodrow Street
  • 7/17/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., 1441 Main, 1441 Main St.
  • 7/17/2018: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., McCrory Construction Company, 522 Lady Street
  • 7/17/2018: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/18/2018: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/19/2018: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/20/2018: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/20/2018: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Rice Estate, 100 Finley Road
  • 7/21/2018: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/22/2018: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/23/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Siemens Industry, INC, 220 Stoneridge Drive
  • 7/23/2018: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/24/2018: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Sparkleberry Lane
  • 7/25/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., CB Richard Ellis, Capital Rotary Club at CBRE Building, 1333 Main Street
  • 7/25/2018: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/25/2018: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Sandhills Community Church, 3513 Hardscrabble Road
  • 7/26/2018: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/27/2018: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/27/2018: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., AgFirst Farm Credit Bank, 1401 Hampton Street
  • 7/28/2018: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/29/2018: 6 a.m. - 2 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/29/2018: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Trenholm Road UMC, 3401 Trenholm Road
  • 7/30/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., SC Department of Transportation, 955 Park Street
  • 7/30/2018: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
  • 7/31/2018: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St

Irmo

  • 7/18/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Riverland Hills Baptist Church, 201 Lake Murray Blvd.
  • 7/28/2018: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Mt Olive Lutheran Church, 1541 Lake Murray Blvd.
  • 7/30/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Plex Ice/HiWire Irmo, 1019 Broad Stone Road

SUMTER COUNTY

Shaw AFB

  • 7/10/2018: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Shaw 20 EMS, 628 Shaw Drive
  • 7/18/2018: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Shaw Air Force Base, Community Activities Center, 413 Recreation Street

Sumter

  • 7/13/2018: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Arts & Letters Building, 109 Miller Road
  • 7/24/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Central Carolina Technical College, 506 N. Guignard Drive
  • 7/26/2018: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., SAFE Federal Credit Union, 160 West Wesmark Blvd.
  • 7/26/2018: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Grace Baptist Church, 219 West Calhoun St.

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