PHOENIX — Nonprofit blood services provider Vitalant urges blood donors of all types to donate to help reverse a critical blood shortage.
Vitalant said with the number of new donors down sharply by 12% year over year, new donors and those who haven’t given in a while are especially needed. The Independence Day holiday week is the period with the lowest donations in the summer.
Hundreds of appointments over the next few weeks remain unfilled at Vitalant locations across Arizona.
There is a critical need for donors with the most transfused blood type O, which has recently dipped to about half of the desired four-day supply, and platelet donors, whose donations must be used within a week of donation.
"Blood shortage is a human problem that needs a human solution. Human beings are the ones who can actually donate blood," said donor Max Prasad. "We cannot make it in a lab or anything else, and with the current shortage right now, I think we as human beings should just work together to uplift the society."
Vitalant has teamed up with organizations Valley-wide to host Arizona’s largest blood drive to build blood supplies during the Independence Day holiday weekend:
- Saturday, July 2 — 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. — Gila River Arena — One lucky Saving Arizona donor will be drawn as one of the 10 finalists for a 2022 VW Taos, donated by the Valley Volkswagen dealers.
- Sunday, July 3 — 7 a.m.- 1 p.m. — Tempe Center for the Arts
All donors will also be thanked with a Vitalant summer grilling apron, as well as a voucher for a free Whataburger, and tickets will be raffled to the Oct. 14 PBR event at Gila River Arena.
To schedule a slot at one of the drives, visit this website or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).
You can also make an appointment that works for your schedule anytime at a Vitalant donation center by clicking here.
