Carter BloodCare will host two blood drives in southern Denton County in July, during a time that the need for blood “is at its most severe” for local patients.
The Texas-based nonprofit reported last week that, with increased demand for lifesaving blood this summer, the supply of blood types O negative and O positive has reached critical levels. While all blood types are needed, the red-level status for type O is the most serious health situation for the community, according to a news release from the organization. It means the available blood supply is critically low, with less than a day’s supply on-hand.
Under critical-level conditions, surgeries and medical procedures may be delayed for an extended time until the necessary blood becomes available. O negative is the universal blood type, and is the only type of blood used to treat premature and unborn babies. O positive can be used in emergency situations, such as severe trauma or massive bleeding injuries sustained in vehicle accidents.
“It’s literally within each of us to save lives by donating blood,” said James Black, Senior Public Relations Specialist with Carter BloodCare. “There are patients and families in our area right now who are urgently waiting for transfusions to help them get better. It takes less than an hour to donate blood and make a powerful, positive difference for a neighbor in need.”
Residents can sign up to give blood at the Carter BloodCare Bus at the Cross Timbers Family YMCA, 2021 Cross Timbers Road in Flower Mound, from 8 a.m. to noon on July 6. Click here to sign up.
The Carter BloodCare Bus will also host a blood drive on July 23 at St, Mark’s Catholic Church, 6500 Crawford Road near Argyle, from 7:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Click here to sign up.
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