The American Red Cross has a severe shortage of type O blood and urges type O donors — as well as eligible blood and platelet donors of all blood types — to give now to ensure lifesaving patient care isn’t impacted this winter.
Type O blood is the most in-demand blood type, helping patients facing life-threatening conditions and emergencies every day. Type O negative blood can be transfused to patients with any blood type and is what emergency room personnel reach for when there’s no time to determine a patient’s blood type. Type O positive blood is also especially needed because it is the most transfused blood type and can be given to Rh-positive patients of any blood type.
Having a readily available blood supply is critical for patients like Luna Giles, who at the age of 1 1/2 has already undergone two heart surgeries and required over a dozen transfusions.
“Each time, the nurse would bring in a bag of blood for her transfusion, I noticed a small label on each one that said ‘Donation Type: Volunteer,’” said Luna’s mom, Jessie Giles. “It made me think about each individual who donated blood for my daughter. I would never know who those individuals were, and they would never see the effect their donation had. But each of those individuals, strangers to us, absolutely saved my daughter’s life. They may never know it, but to me, they are heroes.”
Right now, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types, and blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in. Recent snowstorms and severe weather in many parts of the country have forced hundreds of blood drive cancellations, causing more than 20,000 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected.
Individuals of all blood types — especially type O — are asked to make an appointment to donate blood or platelets by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting http://RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
HBO and Red Cross invite ‘Game of Thrones’ fans to Bleed #ForTheThrone
To celebrate the final season of “Game of Thrones,” HBO and the Red Cross have partnered to ask fans and blood donors to Bleed #ForTheThrone this March. This is the largest blood donation promotional effort by an entertainment company in Red Cross history — with six days of coordinated giving March 7-12 from fans and blood donors at blood drives in 43 states across the U.S., including an immersive blood drive experience at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.
As part of the partnership, fans who come to donate blood or platelets with the Red Cross now through March 17 will automatically be entered for a chance to win one of five trips to the season 8 world premiere of “Game of Thrones.” The trip includes travel for two, up to two nights hotel accommodations and a $250 gift card for expenses. Terms and conditions apply and are available at RedCrossBlood.org/HBOGameofThrones.
Additionally, those who come to donate March 7-12 will also receive exclusive “Game of Thrones” swag including a T-shirt, stickers to unlock a unique Snapchat filter and other items, while supplies last.
The following donation opportunities are available in Middlesex County this month.
Acton
March 14: 2-7 p.m., Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 472 Mass. Ave.
Arlington
March 25: 2-7 p.m., Arlington Knights of Columbus, 15 Winslow St.
Belmont
March 25: 1-6 p.m., Beth El Temple Center, 2 Concord Ave.
Billerica
March 13: 2-7 p.m., Billerica Masons, 11 Concord Road
Burlington
March 12: 1-7 p.m., American Legion Burlington, 162 Winn St.
March 16: 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Lahey Clinic, 41 Mall Road
March 19: 1-7 p.m., American Legion Burlington, 162 Winn St.
March 26: 1-7 p.m., American Legion Burlington, 162 Winn St.
March 29: 2-7 p.m., Lahey Clinic, 41 Mall Road
Cambridge
March 18: 2-7 p.m., Cambridge Masonic Lodge, 1950 Mass. Ave.
March 20: 1-6 p.m., Harvard University, 52 Oxford St.
March 22: 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Harvard Law School-Wasserstein Building, 1585 Mass. Ave.
Chelmsford
March 17: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Radisson Hotel, 10 Independence Drive
Dracut
March 7: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Harmony Historical Hall, 1660 Lakeview Ave.
Framingham
March 14: 2-7 p.m., Framingham Plymouth Church, 87 Edgell Road
March 28: 2-7 p.m., Framingham Plymouth Church, 87 Edgell Road
Hudson
March 29: 1-7 p.m., Elks Lodge, 91 Park St.
Lexington
March 27: 2-7 p.m., Knights of Columbus, 177 Bedford St.
Littleton
March 7: 2-7 p.m., The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 616 Great Road
Lowell
March 26: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., University of Massachusetts, 327 Aiken St., University Suites Room 106
March 28: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., University Of Massachusetts O’Leary Library, 61 Wilder St.
Malden
March 11: 2-7 p.m., Saint Joseph’s Church, 790 Salem St.
Marlborough
March 11: 1-6:30 p.m., Wayside Athletic Club, 80 Broadmeadow Road
March 11: 2:30-7:30 p.m., Marlboro Masonic Hall, 8 Newton St.
March 27: 2:30-7:30 p.m., Marlboro Masonic Hall, 8 Newton St.
Maynard
March 15: 2-7 p.m., Maynard Elks Lodge, 34 Powdermill Road
Medford
March 9: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., AC Hotel by Marriott Boston North, 95 Station Landing
Melrose
March 25: 2-7 p.m., VFW, 428 Main St.
March 31: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Wyoming Lodge Masonic Temple, 326 Main St.
Newton
March 10: 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Temple Shalom, 175 Temple St.
March 13: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St.
March 27: 2-7 p.m., Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St.
North Chelmsford
March 30: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Congregation Church, 15 Princeton St.
Reading
March 27: 2-7 p.m., Good Samaritan Lodge, AF & AM, 110 Haven St.
Somerville
March 20: 2-7 p.m., Somerville Armory, 191 Highland Ave.
Stow
March 9: 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Church of Saint Isidore, 429 Great Road
Sudbury
March 19: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Wingate at Sudbury, 136 Boston Post Road
Tewksbury
March 24: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Holiday Inn Tewksbury, 4 Highwood Drive
Wakefield
March 15: 2-7 p.m., First Congregational Church, One Church St.
Waltham
March 28: 12-5 p.m., CBRE/New England, 200 Fifth Ave.
Watertown
March 23: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Watertown Police Department, 552 Main St.
Westford
March 22: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Princeton Westford, 500 Princeton Way
Wilmington
March 12: 1-7 p.m., Wilmington Masonic Lodge, 32 Church St.
Winchester
March 29: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Winchester Hospital, 41 Highland Ave.
