The American Red Cross Is Calling For More People To Give Blood

It says the need for blood is constant.Peanuts tee-shirts being given to blood donors  (Photo from the American Red Cross website)Frederick, Md (KM) The call is going out from the American Red Cross for  more blood donors. “Every two seconds, someone in this country needs blood. And the American Red Cross supplies  40 percent of the nation’s blood supply, including to 50 hospitals in the Washington and Baltimore area. Now that’s a lot of blood,” says Scott Marder, the Regional Communications Manager for the National Capital and Chesapeake Region of the Red Cross.He says the Red Cross is always in need of blood throughout the year, not just during specific times of the year such as the summer season. “Right now, we’re in September which is historically the most active month  for hurricanes,” he says. “And it’s critical that more individuals make an appointment to give blood or platelets to ensure that life-saving care is not delayed.”The blood is used by hospitals for transfusions. Marder says anyone could need a transfusion  at any time. “It could be my mother who is driving down the road and winds up in a car accident. It could be your sister who goes in for routine surgery. I had a co-worker who went in for a very minor surgical procedure and something went wrong; and he was within 15 minutes of dying if he hadn’t had a blood transfusion,” he says.The Red Cross is trying to encourage more blood donors to come forward by offering a special gift  for those who give blood. from now until September 21st.  As a way of celebrating the 75th anniversary of the “Peanuts” comic strip, donors will receive a “Peanuts-themed” tee-shirt.Marder says donors will receive an exclusive “Peanuts” mystery bag which contains one of four special tee-shirt designs while they last. “Donors won’t know exactly which of the iconic designs they’re going to get until they open the bag,” he says. “And then there are thousands  of golden tickets hidden in bags throughout the country. And if you happen to get one of those bags, then you can trade that in for all four of the tee-shirts.”Anyone who wants to donate blood can call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767),  and make an appointment. They can also go on line to redcrossblood.rogBy Kevin McManus