The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the country sees the lowest number of blood donors in 20 years.
Blood donations are urgently needed to assist alleviate the shortage and ensure that life-saving medical operations do not be delayed.
The blood shortage has become so severe that the American Red Cross is providing $20 Amazon gift cards to urge people to donate blood.
The organization is requesting assistance because it claims recent winter weather has hampered attempts to rescue lives. Winter storms forced the cancellation of over 500 blood drives around the US in January, including in North Texas.
Crystal Dawn Tucker’s three sons have sickle cell disease. She understands the value of blood donation better than most people.
FOX 4 met Tucker and her children at a blood drive in Fort Worth last month. Her 11-year-old son, Nicholas, is currently undergoing evaluation at Cook Children’s. She chatted with us from her automobile.
“I am still waiting. “I’m waiting for my son’s blood results to see if we’ll need a transfusion today,” she added.
Tucker’s circumstance emphasizes the need of blood donation.
Donations have been slowly declining across the United States for years. As a result, the Red Cross reports that the national blood supply has dropped to catastrophic levels. This might cause delays in medical treatments for those who require immediate care.
Madeleine Harrison’s kid was only 7 days old and weighed less than 5 pounds when he received his heart in 2007. He’s 16 years old and enjoys racing and triathlons with his family.
Harrison claims that if fellow Texans hadn’t donated blood, her kid would not be alive and well.
“My son, Keegan Harrison, is the youngest and smallest heart transplant recipient in the state of Texas,” said Mrs. Harrison. “Just by taking an hour or two to perform something quite simple. When we have the opportunity, it may actually make the difference between life and death.”
Both North Texas mothers are urging people to step up and donate blood if they can.
“That’s something that’s needed in so many different ways, whether it’s from an illness or from an accident,” said Harrison.
“And if people don’t come and donate blood, we could lose our lives. “It could cost my children their lives,” Tucker explained.
American Red Cross Donation Locations
https://www.redcross.org/local/texas/north-texas.html
Children’s Organ Transplant Association
cota.org