July 6, 2010

Donors needed at July 14 Homewood blood drive

Faculty, staff and students are being asked to make time to donate blood at the Homewood campus blood drive on Wednesday, July 14.

Summer vacations from work and school often lead to a decline in blood donations, putting in jeopardy the lives of people in our community who rely on blood products for survival. And as donations decrease, the need for blood increases; in addition to surgeries and treatments that require blood, the summer months often see an increase in blood usage due to traumas such as motorcycle, boating and car accidents.

While all blood types are needed during the critical months, type O negative is always in high demand because it can be transfused to patients with any blood type, especially in emergency situations.

According to the American Red Cross, someone in America needs blood every two seconds, yet only 5 percent of those eligible to donate do so.

Giving blood is easy, safe and takes about an hour. The drive runs from 7:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. in Levering’s Glass Pavilion. Schedule a donation online or call 443-997-6060. Look online for more information on upcoming Johns Hopkins blood drives. To learn more about donating, check eligibility criteria and find tips on preparing for your blood donation online or call 866-236-3276.