January has been designated as National Blood Donor Month since 1970. Per the American Red Cross, they need to collect more than 13,000 donations every day to keep the blood supply ready and available to meet the needs of about 2,600 hospitals, clinics, and cancer centers across the country. Donating blood saves many lives and improves health for many people. According to the World Health Organization, “blood is the most precious gift that anyone can give to another person — the gift of life.”
The American Red Cross provides about 40% of our nation’s blood and blood components. However, they are not always able to meet the growing demands because only about 3% of age-eligible people donate blood yearly. The Red Cross shared that winter is one of the most difficult times of year to collect enough blood products to meet patient needs. That’s because busy holiday schedules and bad weather often result in canceled blood drives or scheduled donation appointments. In addition, seasonal illnesses such as the flu force potential donors to forgo their blood donations.
Let January be the month you volunteer to donate and save countless lives. Each new donor helps patients of all ages: accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer. In fact, the Red Cross shares that every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood so every donation goes to helping to meet those patients’ needs. Visit the American Red Cross to read more about the importance of donating blood and learn more key facts and statistics. Scheduling a time and location is just a click away. Don’t delay and act today by finding a donation center near you at https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive. Please ensure to review the donation requirements and consult with your medical provider if you have questions or concerns about donating.
Did you know? Community Service Leave is a wonderful leave benefit provide by the state to assist with covering time away from work while volunteering out in our local communities. Volunteering with the American Red Cross to give blood is only one example of how you can use this wonderful benefit to help give back. Learn more about Community Service Leave benefits, eligibility requirements, and how to apply for use by reviewing the policy on the UNC System Office Leave and Holidays website.