HANCOCK COUNTY – Roll up those sleeves.
It’s National Blood Donation Week, and a number of blood drives are set to take place throughout Hancock County and beyond.
This year Sept. 4 is designated as National Blood Donation Day, and the week of Sept. 1-7 is recognized as National Blood Donation Week, which occurs the first week of each September.
Daniel’s Vineyard in McCordsville is hosting a blood drive Sept. 4.
The Live Like B Foundation is hosting a drive at Brandywine Community Church in Greenfield this Saturday, St. James Lutheran Church in Greenfield is hosting a blood drive Sunday, and Fortville Christian Church will host another drive on Monday.
Many more drives are scheduled to take place across the county throughout the rest of the month.
That’s great news for local blood banks, which are running drastically short on supply.
Since July 1, the American Red Cross national blood supply has fallen by more than 25%. Blood donors of all types, especially those with type O blood, are urged to give as soon as possible.
The American Red Cross of Indiana has partnered with Indianapolis news station WTHR for the biannual Knock out the Need campaign, which encourages blood donors to help eliminate the emergency blood shortage.
Last week, the Hancock County Fairgrounds was one of five central Indiana sites to host blood drives for the campaign.
According to the Red Cross, the nonprofit supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood to those in need, much of which comes through community blood drives.
Another major blood supplier is Versiti, which runs the Versiti Blood Center of Indiana.
The nonprofit’s public relations manager, Kristin Paltzer, said the center supplies blood services, blood products and specialty services to more than 80 hospitals across the state and collects more than 130,000 units of blood each year.
In addition to hosting mobile blood drives, the center has seven fixed donation states throughout the state. The research-based nonprofit also focuses on blood-based research to impact the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
The majority of people are eligible to donate blood on a recurring basis.
The Red Cross requires donors to be in good health and weigh at least 110 pounds, and to be at least 16 years old. Donors can give blood every 56 days, up to six times a year.
Those who donate are encouraged to drink plenty of nonalcoholic liquids and to eat within two hours before donating.
Even those who aren’t eligible to donate can still make a difference by hosting a blood drive, setting up a virtual blood drive, donating money or becoming a volunteer.
