Monday, March 23, 2020 – Bloody Monday

I give blood at the nearest Carter Blood Care Center today. The American Red Cross has an ongoing critical need for blood donations. Blood drives continue to be canceled at an alarming rate. Donating blood is essential to community health, and eligible donors are strongly urged to donate during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Healthy individuals can still donate in areas that have issued shelter-in-place declarations. The Red Cross also urges organizations to maintain scheduled blood drives. It follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and volunteer donors are the only source of blood for those in need. This blood shortage could impact patients who need surgery, victims of car accidents and other emergencies or patients fighting cancer.

The care center employee who interviewed me is pregnant and due in July. She seems worried but resigned to her position on the front line. The center is very clean. There are only two of us giving blood at the same time. Iron Man 2 is playing on the TV. The other donor is on the other side of the room. I have a pleasant conversation with the phlebotomist about how much we both enjoy kids’ movies. Plus, there are delicious snacks afterward. I score packages of Nutter Butter and Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies, along with a bottle of fruit punch Powerade. Yum!

Consider how you would feel if you had loved ones needing surgery or fighting cancer. Would you deny them the life-saving blood they need? It’s easy to make an appointment online. Give blood now!