Red Cross Faces Summer Blood Donor Shortage

By Daniel Perle
Published: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - 10:38am
Updated: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 8:49am

The American Red Cross came up about 61,000 blood donations short for the months of May and June and it is putting the word out that it needs to make up for the shortage.

Christine Welch with the Red Cross said the summer months are always difficult for the organization.

“Typically we do have a blood shortage during the summer months and that is due to summer vacations and schools being out of session," Welch said. "We generally collect from our student base during the school year and when school’s out, obviously blood donation takes a dip.”

Welch said she hopes communities will step up and fill the shortage, emphasizing the short time it takes for someone to donate blood on a given day.

Science