Even in heat, Red Cross needs blood

The summer months are traditionally a challenging time for blood collection. During the school year, donations from high school and college students account for approximately 15 percent of Red Cross blood collections. In the summer, these donors become much more difficult to reach, with schools not in session and many families on vacation.

The Red Cross needs help to increase the community blood supply. The need for blood is ongoing ‘ every two seconds someone in America needs a blood transfusion.

‘Even when the temperature rises, caring volunteer donors are still essential,’ said Steve Beeler, CEO, American Red Cross Tennessee Valley Region. ‘Emergencies and other health issues don’t go away when the weather gets hot, and we encourage our donors to keep up their life-saving efforts at all times of the year.’

To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years of age, weigh 110 pounds and be in generally good health. To schedule an appointment, please call 1-800-448-3543, or visit www.givelife.org.

To have a successful blood donation in the hot weather, or at any other time of the year, follow these tips:

‘ Get a good night’s sleep before your donation appointment

‘ Drink extra water and fluids to replace the volume you will donate (avoid tea, coffee, or other beverages with caffeine)

‘ Eat a healthy meal before arriving at the donor center

‘ Rehydrate by drinking plenty of fluids over the next 24 to 48 hours

Volunteer blood donations help patients undergoing treatment for accidents, routine surgeries and diseases such as cancer, heart disease and hemophilia. Giving blood is a safe and easy process, and takes about one hour. Please consider donating blood soon.