As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, the American Red Cross is urging individuals to donate blood or platelets to help maintain a stable blood supply through mid-summer. The organization emphasizes the need for all blood types, with a particular call for type O donors due to its critical role in emergencies and commonality among patients.
"Making and keeping donation appointments now is critical to ensuring blood products are available for all patients – including those in trauma situations that may require several lifesaving transfusions – in the weeks to come," said the Red Cross. Type O negative blood is often used in emergencies when there isn't time to match a patient's blood type, while type O positive is vital for both chronic and acute conditions.
To encourage donations, the Red Cross has partnered with goodr to offer exclusive sunglasses to those who donate between July 1-14, 2025. Donors can also personalize their sunglasses with a blood type sticker. More information is available at RedCrossBlood.org/goodr.
Additionally, individuals who donate by June 30 will receive a $15 Amazon.com Gift Card via email and be entered into a drawing for one of two $7,000 gift cards. Details can be found at RedCrossBlood.org/June.
Upcoming donation opportunities are scheduled across various locations from June 23 to July 14. Interested donors can schedule an appointment by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS, or using the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
Information from this article can be found here.
