Blood drive planned at Union South July 15

Local American Red Cross officials are urging campus-area workers and residents to help shore up dwindling blood supplies.

Though the need remains constant, blood donations drop during the summer due to vacations and outdoor activities. The next campus blood drive is scheduled Thursday, July 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Union South.

Americans take for granted they’ll get a blood transfusion whenever they need one, but soon that may not be the case: Blood donations are dropping so low that serious, nationwide shortages could hit as early as next year.

The National Blood Data Resource Center predicts that next year, Americans will donate fewer than 11.7 million units of blood – but that hospitals will need 11.9 million units. Blood donations have been decreasing about 1 percent a year, but demand for blood is increasing by 1 percent a year.

Why are donations dropping? Nobody really knows. About 60 percent of Americans are estimated to be eligible donors, but only 5 percent donate.

For information on the campus blood drive, contact Patricia Sternad, American Red Cross, 227-1360.