SPOKANE, Wash. – The American Red Cross (TARC) is reaching out to communities around the world to donate blood.
January is national blood donor month, but TARC is facing the lowest numbers it has seen in 20 years.
Chief medical officer of TARC spoke out about the shortage saying, “One of the most distressing situations for a doctor is to have a hospital full of patients and an empty refrigerator without any blood products”.
He goes on to say that “A person needs lifesaving blood every two seconds in our country — and its availability can be the difference between life and death, however, blood is only available thanks to the generosity of those who roll up a sleeve to donate”.
The TARC says that the low blood supply is from a few key factors. The biggest one being COVID-19 and the lack of community engagement in recent years.
If you would like to donate blood the TARC has open times and needs donors in the Spokane area. Check here for locations and time slots that might be open near you.
