The Philadelphia region is in critical need for all blood types, according to the Penn-Jersey Blood Services Department of the American Red Cross.
The Red Cross is urging people to donate a pint of blood as they are down 900 pints for the month of July. The dangerous drop in donations stems in part from the three-week strike of blood drive workers in June.
Anthony C. Tornetta, regional communications manager for the Penn-Jersey chapter of the Red Cross says, "Many donors are busy or traveling, school is out of session and donations in May and June dropped to the lowest levels the Red Cross has seen during this time frame in over a dozen years.”
Penn-Jersey Blood Services are in need of all blood types, especially type O negative because of its ability to treat all patients.
The local Red Cross supplies blood to about 100 hospitals in the area and have to recruit 1,200 blood and platelet donors each weekday to keep up with the hospitals’ demands.
Eligible donors please call 1-800-733-2767 or click here to make an appointment.
