Blood Donations Fall To Emergency Levels: Where To Donate In Bensalem

BENSALEM, PA — American Red Cross officials are asking Bensalem residents to roll up their sleeves and give blood or platelets to address a nationwide blood shortage exacerbated by severe winter weather that forced hundreds of blood drive cancellations across the country.

Since early January, about 265 blood drives across 27 states were canceled due to weather, leaving more than 8,000 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected and potentially leaving hospitals in short supply of blood, the Red Cross said in an emergency appeal this week.

Blood was already in short supply before millions of people, from the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast and the Deep South, were placed under some kind of weather alert — including those for blizzards and life-threatening cold air. More bad weather predicted this week could cause even more cancellations.

To help, Bensalem residents are encouraged to give blood, and can sign up online or call 1-800-RED-CROSS to schedule a donation.

Some of the places holding blood drives soon are:

Parx Casino East Building (2999 Street Road, Bensalem PA 19020)

• Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Neshaminy Mall (707 Neshaminy Mall, Bensalem PA 19020)

• Thursday, Jan. 25 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Neshaminy Valley Baptist Church (2895 Bristol Road, Bensalem PA 19020)

• Monday, Jan. 29, 2024 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Grace Episcopal Church (313 Main Street, Hulmeville PA 19047)

• Monday, Jan. 29, 2024 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

All blood types are needed, according to the Red Cross, which says it needs to collect 12,500 units of blood and nearly 3,000 platelet donations a day to ensure 2,500 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide have adequate supplies,

The emergency blood shortage comes as the nation faces the lowest number of people giving blood in 20 years, the Red Cross says. Teens and young adults, especially, are encouraged to become regular donors.

While the number of blood donations has decreased by 40 percent during that time, of big concern is a decline in the number of young people who are giving blood. A federal National Blood Collection and Utilization Survey showed the number of teens and young adults giving blood has steadily fallen since 2013. Donations from 16- to 18-year-olds dropped by 60 percent from 2019 to 2021, and donations from 19- to 24-year-olds went down by almost a third, according to that report.

Experts said the decline is partly, but not entirely, due to the pandemic. Turning that around is paramount to ensuring the nation has a reliable blood supply.

“If that trend continues, we’re going to be in a very difficult situation,” said Dr. Claudia Cohn, chief medical officer for the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies, told NBC News. “Blood centers often depend upon high schools for their blood drives.”

Cohn said Baby Boomers are the most reliable blood donors and, “unfortunately, younger people are not getting out and replacing those numbers as we need them.”

Also, football fans (and anyone) who signs up to donate blood in January could win two tickets to the upcoming Super Bowl in Las Vegas. The American Red Cross is partnering with the NFL during National Blood Donor Month in January to offer a VIP experience for blood donors, who will be automatically entered through Jan. 31.

The winner and guest will get to enjoy Super Bowl LVIII in Vegas, and get access to day-of in-stadium pre-game activities, as well as tickets to the official Super Bowl Experience. The winner also will receive round-trip airfare to Las Vegas, three nights of hotel accommodations (Feb. 9-12, 2024), and a $1,000 gift card for expenses, the Red Cross said.

More information is available by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or calling 1-800-Red Cross.

Patch's national desk contributed to this report.