Williamson County Chamber: Red Cross Enters Third Week Of Emergency Blood And Platelet Shortage

Franklin TN

12 October, 2021

6:11 PM

Description

Press release from Williamson County Chamber: 2021-10-12 News Release Media contact: Sherri McKinney, 615-425-6679, @RedCrossTN                    RedCrossBlood.org     Red Cross enters third week of emergency blood and platelet shortage Donations needed now to help those battling cancer and other serious conditions   NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 11, 2021 – The American Red Cross continues to experience an emergency blood and platelet shortage that has caused the blood supply to drop to the lowest post-summer level in at least six years.   With less than a day's supply of certain blood types in recent weeks, the Red Cross asks donors of all blood types – especially type O − to make an appointment to give blood or platelets as soon as possible to ensure patients can receive the lifesaving transfusions they rely on. Appointments can be made by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).     Fall is typically a time when the blood supply rebounds from summer blood shortages, but a surge in COVID-19 cases across the U.S. due to the delta variant has contributed to the lowest donor turnout of the year. To shore up inventory, the Red Cross must collect 10,000 additional blood products each week this month to meet hospital and patient needs.   Donors are asked to make an appointment All those who come to donate in October will receive a link by email to claim a free Zaxby's® Signature Sandwich reward or get a $5 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice.* Plus, all those who come to give Oct. 11-31 will receive a bonus $5 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice.**   Blood donations help those with breast cancer During Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, the Red Cross is reminding donors of the importance of blood to those undergoing treatment. According to the National Cancer Institute, roughly 1.9 million people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. this year, and more than 281,000 of those individuals will have breast cancer.   Patients with breast cancer and other cancers may need blood products on a regular basis during chemotherapy, surgery or treatment for complications. In fact, nearly 25% of the blood supply is used by cancer patients.   People across the country depend on the kindness of blood donors. Donors are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platetlets as soon as possible by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-73-2767).   Blood drive safety Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including face masks for donors and staff, regardless of vaccination status – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive.   Upcoming blood donation opportunities Oct.16-31 KENTUCKY   Christian   Fort Campbell 10/22/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Byrd Health Clinic, 7973 Strike Blvd. 10/26/2021: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Blanchfield Army Hospital, 650 Joel Drive _______________   Marshall   Benton 10/18/2021: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., First Christian Church, 2515 South Main Street _______________   Warren   Bowling Green 10/20/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Holiday Inn University Plaza & Sloan Convention Center, 1021 Wilkinson Trace 10/22/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Holiday Inn University Plaza & Sloan Convention Center, 1021 Wilkinson Trace 10/25/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Western Ky Univ Preston Health and Activity Center, 1906 College Heights Blvd 10/25/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Western Ky Univ Preston Health and Activity Center, 1906 College Heights Blvd 10/26/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Western Ky Univ Preston Health and Activity Center, 1906 College Heights Blvd 10/26/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Western Ky Univ Preston Health and Activity Center, 1906 College Heights Blvd 10/27/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Western Ky Univ Preston Health and Activity Center, 1906 College Heights Blvd 10/27/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Western Ky Univ Preston Health and Activity Center, 1906 College Heights Blvd 10/29/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Holiday Inn University Plaza & Sloan Convention Center, 1021 Wilkinson Trace   TENNESSEE   Bedford   Shelbyville 10/27/2021: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Shelbyville Community, First Presbyterian Church, 600 N. Brittain Street _______________   Cheatham   Kingston Springs 10/26/2021: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Harpeth High School, 170 E. Kingston Springs Road _______________   Davidson   Hermitage 10/29/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Metro Police-Hermitage, 3701 James Kay Lane   Nashville 10/16/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/17/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/18/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/19/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/19/2021: 4 p.m. – 9 p.m., Casa de Dios Church, 3030 Dickerson Pike 10/19/2021: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Light Hall, 2215 Garland Avenue 10/20/2021: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/21/2021: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Vanderbilt University Kissam Building, 2101 West End Avenue 10/21/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/22/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/23/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/24/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/25/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saint Thomas West Hospital, 4220 Harding Road 10/25/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/26/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/27/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Vanderbilt University Student Life Center, 310 25th. Avenue South 10/27/2021: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/27/2021: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Light Hall, 2215 Garland Avenue 10/28/2021: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Light Hall, 2215 Garland Avenue 10/28/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/29/2021: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Light Hall, 2215 Garland Avenue 10/29/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/30/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave 10/31/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nashville Blood Donation Center, 2201 Charlotte Ave   Old Hickory 10/22/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., First Baptist Church Old Hickory, 1106 Hadley Avenue _______________   Dickson   Dickson 10/21/2021: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., YMCA Dickson, 301 Henslee Drive _______________   Franklin   Winchester 10/29/2021: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Winchester Church of Christ, 1230 South College Street _______________   Giles   Ardmore 10/18/2021: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Ardmore Public Library, 25836 Main St _______________   Lawrence   Leoma 10/18/2021: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Leoma Church of Christ, 2600 Highway 43 South _______________   Marshall   Chapel Hill 10/20/2021: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Chapel Hill UMC, 316 North Horton Parkway _______________   Maury   Columbia 10/17/2021: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., First Family First Baptist Church, 2790 Pulaski Highway 10/28/2021: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., American Legion Post 19, 812 Nashville Highway, Hwy 31 North   Spring Hill 10/25/2021: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., UAW- Local 1853, 125 Stephen P Yokich Pkwy _______________   Montgomery   Clarksville 10/18/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., American Red Cross, 1760 Madison Street 10/20/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., American Red Cross, 1760 Madison Street 10/25/2021: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., American Red Cross, 1760 Madison Street _______________   Robertson   Springfield 10/18/2021: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Our Lady of Lourdes St. Luke Hall, 103 Golf Club Lane   White House 10/19/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Revolution Church, 3644 Highway 31W _______________   Rutherford   La Vergne 10/27/2021: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., First Baptist Church Lavergne, 375 Old Nashville Highway   Murfreesboro 10/16/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/17/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/18/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/19/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/21/2021: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/22/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/23/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/24/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/25/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/26/2021: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/28/2021: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/29/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/30/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. 10/31/2021: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Murfreesboro Blood Donation Center, 501 Memorial Blvd. _______________   Sumner   Gallatin 10/19/2021: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Gallatin Public Library, 123 E. Main Street   Hendersonville 10/26/2021: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Trinity Baptist Church, 840 Forest Retreat Rd. 10/31/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, 1729 Stop 30 Road _______________   Williamson   Brentwood 10/19/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., City of Brentwood, Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Rd. 10/20/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., City of Brentwood, Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Rd. 10/21/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., City of Brentwood, Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Rd. 10/24/2021: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Congregation Micah, 2001 Old Hickory Boulevard 10/26/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., City of Brentwood, Brentwood Library, 8109 Concord Rd. 10/26/2021: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Holy Family Catholic Church, 9100 Crockett Road   College Grove 10/28/2021: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., McDaniel Community, 7588 Delancey Dr   Franklin 10/17/2021: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Grace Chapel, 3279 Southall Rd. 10/18/2021: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Natchez Trace American Red Cross Chapter, 129 West Fowlkes St, Ste 100 10/18/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Lifetime Fitness, 5020 Carothers Parkway 10/20/2021: 7:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., Centennial High School, 5050 Mallory Lane 10/21/2021: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Natchez Trace American Red Cross Chapter, 129 West Fowlkes St, Ste 100 10/26/2021: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Fieldstone Farms Blood Drive, 1530 Lexington Parkway 10/27/2021: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Burn Boot Camp Franklin, 1113 Murfreesboro Road, Suite 201A _______________   Wilson   Lebanon 10/20/2021: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Anytime Fitness Lebanon, 200 Maddox-Simpson pkwy 10/20/2021: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 522 Castle Heights Avenue   Save time during donation Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass®. With RapidPass®, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App. To donate blood, individuals need to bring a blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification that are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), 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 must meet certain height and weight requirements.   Health insights for donors At a time when health information has never been more important, the Red Cross is screening all blood, platelet and plasma donations from self-identified African American donors for the sickle cell trait. This additional screening will provide Black donors with an additional health insight and help the Red Cross identify compatible blood types more quickly to help patients with sickle cell disease who require trait-negative blood. Blood transfusion is an essential treatment for those with sickle cell disease, and blood donations from individuals of the same race, ethnicity and blood type have a unique ability to help patients fighting sickle cell disease.   Donors can expect to receive sickle cell trait screening results, if applicable, within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App and the online donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.   About the American Red Cross The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.   ###   This press release was produced by Williamson County Chamber. The views expressed here are the author's own.