American Red Cross Seeks Blood Donations

The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood before the holiday season is in full swing.

Blood donations often decline from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day when holiday festivities pull people away from their donation appointments. This often causes a drop in the blood available for patients. Donations are needed in the weeks leading up to the holidays to help offset this seasonal decline.

Blood donor Kathy Steckly Neuschwander’s father gave blood for years. She always saw him wear his pin when he reached his next gallon – about 12 gallons total. When he was diagnosed with leukemia, she and her family learned firsthand how important blood donations could be around the holidays.

“He passed away in 1994 from leukemia and needed a blood transfusion so we could have one more Thanksgiving together,” she said. “My brother and sister were able to come home from the East Coast for this. I can now say I am wearing his three-gallon pin.”

Donors with all blood types are needed, and especially those with types O negative, B negative, A negative and AB blood. To make an appointment to donate blood, download the free Red Cross Blood Donor App from app stores, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors can now use the Blood Donor App to access their donor card and view vital signs from previous donations.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Belmont:

11/13/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Belknap Mall, 96 Daniel Webster Highway

Goffstown:

11/10/2015: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., St. Anselm College Carr Center, 87 St. Anselm Drive

Litchfield:

11/7/2015: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Griffin Memorial School, 229 Charles Bancroft Highway

Manchester:

11/5/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Derryfield Country Club, 625 Mammoth Road

Merrimack:

11/11/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., St. James Methodist Church, 646 Daniel Webster Highway

11/3/2015: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., St John Neumann Church, 708 Milford Road

Milford

11/12/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., VFW Post 4368, 1 VFW Way

Nashua

11/10/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Liberty Travel, 314 Daniel Webster Highway

11/12/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Greenbriar Terrace, 55 Harris Road

11/13/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Nashua Community College Wellness Center, 505 Amherst Street

11/2/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., St. Joseph Hospital, 172 Kinsley Street

11/4/2015: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Daniel Webster College, 20 University Drive

11/5/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., The Elks Lodge, 120 Daniel Webster Hwy

Peterborough

11/7/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., South Meadow School, 108 Hancock Road

Bow

11/14/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Bow Old Town Hall, 91 Bow Center Road

Concord

11/4/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., New Hampshire Department of Safety, 33 Hazen Drive

11/5/2015: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Horseshoe Pond, 60 Commercial Street

11/5/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Praxair - TAFA, 146 Pembroke Rd.

11/6/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., C.A.V.E.S., 1 Intervale Rd

11/6/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., IBEW Local 490, 48 Airport Road

11/9/2015: 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 180 Loudon Rd.

Hooksett

11/6/2015: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Cinemagic Theater Hooksett, 1226 Hooksett Road

Pembroke

11/2/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Grace Capital Church, 542 Pembroke St.

Pittsfield

East Derry

11/6/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., First Parish Congregational Church, 47 East Derry Road

Exeter

11/11/2015: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., RiverWoods at Exeter, 5 Timber Lane

11/12/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Hannaford Supermarket, 141 Portsmouth Ave

Fremont

11/10/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Ellis School Fremont, 432 Main Street

Hampstead

11/6/2015: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Beyond Vanilla Ice Cream Parlor, 10 Main Street

Londonderry

11/10/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Londonderry Lions Hall, 256 Mammoth Road

Portsmouth

11/13/2015: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Andrew Jarvis Drive

11/6/2015: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Great Bay Community College, 320 Corporate Drive

11/6/2015: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Middle Street Baptist Church, 18 Court Street

Rye

11/14/2015: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Outdoor Pride, 261 Central Road

Salem

11/12/2015: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, 37 Main St.

Windham

11/11/2015: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Windham Presbyterian Church, 1 Church Rd.

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.