Blood Banks Are Running Dangerously Low — And They Need You

The American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis. It's only the second time in the organization's history that it's made this call, and blood and platelet supplies have dropped to levels the Red Cross considers dangerously low. The plea is simple: eligible donors need to schedule an appointment, and soon.

O-positive blood is in especially short supply right now. It's the universal type, the one hospitals reach for when there's no time to check a match.

It's Not Just the Red Cross Sounding the Alarm

The Red Cross supplies roughly 40 percent of the nation's blood. Earlier this month, the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies and America's Blood Centers — organizations that together cover most of the remaining 60 percent — issued the same warning. When groups responsible for nearly the entire national blood supply agree the shelves are bare, that's not a routine seasonal dip. That's a genuine shortage, the kind that can delay surgeries and strain emergency rooms.

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

How Wenatchee Valley Residents Can Help

A single donation takes under an hour and can help multiple patients, from cancer patients undergoing treatment to trauma victims in the ER. For folks in the Wenatchee Valley wondering where to start, the Red Cross website lets you find the nearest donation site and book a slot in a few minutes. Given how thin supplies have stretched nationwide, a quick appointment this week could matter more than usual — for a neighbor, a stranger, or someone you love who ends up needing a transfusion down the road.

Some upcoming opportunities to Donate Blood

Monday August 3rd from 10 am to 3 pm at Wenatchee's Pybus Market

Tuesday August 4th from 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm at Cashmere's United Methodist Church