Blood Donations Needed to Maintain Summer Supply

Submitted by the American Red Cross.

The American Red Cross urges eligible donors to give blood in the weeks surrounding Independence Day to help ensure a sufficient blood supply for patients now and throughout the summer.

Blood donations often decline in the summer months, especially around summer holidays when donors are less available to give. The need for blood doesn’t decrease though – every two seconds, someone in the U.S. requires blood or platelets. In fact, a recent survey of Red Cross blood and platelet donors showed that nearly half knew someone who needed blood or they needed blood themselves.

“Donating blood helps save lives and can affect people you know and work alongside every day,” said Scott Nethery, whose 7-year-old daughter Audrey requires frequent transfusions. Audrey was born with Diamond Blackfan anemia, a rare condition where her body doesn’t make enough red blood cells. “I am so appreciative of the individuals whose blood is within my daughter at this very moment. Without blood, my little angel would not be with us today.”

Donors of all blood types are needed now. Schedule an appointment to give blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Will

Bolingbrook

7/2/2016: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., The Promenade Bolingbrook, 631 E. Boughton Road

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Cook

Chicago

7/6/2016: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Bank of America, 135 South LaSalle

Maywood

7/7/2016: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Loyola University Center for Fitness, 2160 S. First Ave, Loyola Center for Fitness

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Kankakee

Bourbonnais

7/7/2016: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Kankakee Blood Donation Center, 20 Heritage Drive

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Cook

Chicago

7/8/2016: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Rush Medical School, 600 South Paulina Steet, Suite 984

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DuPage

Roselle

7/8/2016: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Clarke, 159 N. Garden Ave

Naperville

7/9/2016: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Kids Kampus, 603 E Diehl Suite 137

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Cook

Chicago

7/10/2016: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, 4543 S Princeton Ave

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Kankakee

Herscher

7/11/2016: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 225 E. Third

Momence

7/11/2016: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Momence Fire Department, 15 N Pine

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Lake

Vernon Hills

7/11/2016: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Vernon Hills Incredible Technologies, 200 Corporate Woods Parkway

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Cook

Chicago

7/12/2016: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Willis Tower, 233 S. Wacker Drive

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Iroquois

Cissna Park

7/13/2016: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., American Legion, 124 South Second Street

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Cook

Chicago

7/14/2016: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., American Red Cross Chicago Chapter, 2200 West Harrison Street

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Iroquois

Gilman

7/14/2016: 12:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., St. Paul Lutheran, 116 N. Thomas

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Kankakee

Bourbonnais

7/14/2016: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Kankakee Blood Donation Center, 20 Heritage Drive

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Cook

Chicago

7/15/2016: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Holiday Inn Chicago Mart Plaza River North, 350 West Mart Center

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Iroquois

Watseka

7/15/2016: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 301 S.Fourth

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Kankakee

Bourbonnais

7/15/2016: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Bourbonnais Fire Department, 1080 Armour Rd.

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Will

Joliet

7/15/2016: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Louis Joliet Mall, 3340 Mall Loop Drive

How to donate blood

Download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information.

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.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.