The American Red Cross and the NFL are partnering for the fifth year during National Blood Donor Month this January and invite football fans and blood donors to join their lifesaving team to score big for patients in need. Schedule your next blood, platelet or plasma donation appointment today.
Come to give through Jan. 31, 2024, to automatically be entered to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, as their thank you for helping during the critical post-holiday time! For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Super Bowl.
The winner and guest will get to enjoy Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, access to day-of in-stadium pre-game activities, tickets to the official Super Bowl Experience, round-trip airfare to Las Vegas, three-night hotel accommodations (Feb. 9-12, 2024), plus a $1,000 gift card for expenses.
Health emergencies don’t pause for holidays or game day. Donors are needed now: Step off the sidelines and roll up a sleeve to help patients in need.
The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces the lowest number of people giving blood in 20 years. The Red Cross blood supply has fallen to critically low levels across the country, and blood and platelet donors are urged to make a donation appointment to help alleviate the shortage and help ensure lifesaving medical procedures are not put on hold.
Over the last 20 years, the number of people donating blood to the Red Cross has fallen by about 40%. When fewer people donate blood, even small disruptions to blood donations – such as the nearly 7,000-unit shortfall in blood donations the Red Cross experienced between Christmas and New Year’s Day alone – can have a huge impact on the availability of blood products and dramatic consequences for those in need of emergency blood transfusion. Blood products are currently going to hospitals faster than blood donations are coming in, and in recent weeks, the Red Cross has had to limit distributions of type O blood products – among the most transfused blood types – to hospitals.
“One of the most distressing situations for a doctor is to have a hospital full of patients and an empty blood bank without any blood on the shelves. Doctors often can’t operate without blood available to make surgeries, medical procedures and treatments possible,” said Dr. Eric Gehrie, executive physician director for the Red Cross. “More challenges lie ahead as the potential for severe winter weather and seasonal illness may compound the dire blood supply situation. Donors of all types – especially those with type O blood and those giving platelets – are urged to give now.”
Don’t wait – to make an appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
