As the month of June winds down, the American Red Cross is asking those who are able to schedule a blood donation before the 4th of July weekend.
Sue Thesenga is Regional Communications Manager for the American Red Cross, Minnesota and Dakotas region. She says donations usually drop off in the summer months, but demand usually increases – and that’s why donations are important.
"The need for blood is constant - every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. So that's an important reminder that we need to ensure that hospitals have the blood products they need. In the summer, we typically do see more emergency situations, and we've already started to see a bigger demand for Type O blood. So that's an indicator that we need to fill up our inventory before the July 4th holiday before people are typically busy with other plans."
Thesenga says Type O blood is universal, which means almost any recipient can receive it. She says while Type O is needed most, donations of any type are accepted.
She says there are a couple blood drives taking place in Fargo this weekend, and numerous opportunities in other locations will take place this summer.
Thesenga says appointments to donate can be made via the Red Cross app, website, or by calling them directly.