Cape Hospitals In Urgent Need Of O Blood Types

HYANNIS, MA — Cape Cod Healthcare's blood program is experiencing an urgent need for O positive and O negative blood donations.

Jonathan DeCoste, the senior blood donor recruiter at Cape Cod Healthcare, said type O positive is the most common blood type, while O negative is the most useful.

"Type O negative is the universal blood type, meaning that anyone can receive your blood, and it can be used in transfusions for any other blood type," DeCoste said in a statement. "Both types are routinely in short supply and in high demand by hospitals for emergency transfusions."

If you or someone you know has O positive or O negative blood, hospital officials asked that you consider signing up for one of the upcoming appointments:

The Nicholas G. Xiarhos Blood Donor Center inside Cape Cod Hospital is now open by appointment only from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Appointments are required for all blood drives. To make an appointment for the Nicholas G. Xiarhos Blood Donor Center, call 508-862-5663. To make an appointment at an upcoming blood drive, visit www.capecodhealth.org/give-blood

The full list of drives can be found at here.