JACKSON, Wyo. — Jacksonites will have two opportunities to donate blood next week.
The Jackson Community Blood Drive will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a reprise on Thursday, Oct. 19, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Both events will take place at the Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church at 750 Seneca Lane in west Jackson.
Those who sign up to donate using the Vitalant app will be automatically entered to win one of five $3,000 gift cards. Appointments can also be made online at vitalant.org.
Earlier this fall, the American Red Cross declared a national blood shortage. Approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the U. S. and every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood and/or platelets. Nearly 5,000 units of platelets and 6,500 units of plasma are needed daily in the U.S., per the Red Cross.
Always in demand, Type O negative red cells can be given to patients of all blood types, but only 7% of people in the U.S. are type O negative, so it is often in short supply, says the Red Cross. For plasma, type AB can be transfused to all blood types and only 4% of people in the U.S. have type AB blood.
