Vitalant Urges Blood Donations

Vitalant Urges Blood Donations as Back-to-School and Back-to-Work Routines Resume Need for Blood is Urgent to be Prepared for Disasters and Everyday Emergencies

Southern Arizona August Blood Donation Locations Announced; Visitvitalant.org for an Appointment

As many people prepare to go back to school and back to the office, the need for blood donations remains steady. Vitalant urges all eligible blood donors to schedule their next donation appointment now to ensure patients have access to a readily available blood supply. The need for type O blood is especially critical. Type O is the most transfused blood type. O-negative is what emergency room personnel reach for when there is not time to determine a patient’s blood type. Platelet donations are also critically needed. Platelets must be transfused within a week of donation and are used to help cancer patients, organ transplant patients, people who have open-heart surgery and to those with blood disorders. For information and to schedule a donation appointment, visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825). August locations listed below.

Vitalant Blood Donation Appointments: www.vitalant.org or 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825)

Public Blood Drives by City

Casa Grande
Fri, Aug 6, 10am-2pm, City of Casa Grande Emp Wellness Comm, 449 N Drylake St
Mon, Aug 9, 10am-2pm, Banner Casa Grande Medical Ctr, 1800 E Florence Blvd
Tue, Aug 24, 9am-1pm, Compass Christian Church Casa Grande, 1510 N Casa Grande Ave
Maricopa
Sat, Aug 21, 12pm-4pm, Maricopa Public Library, 18160 N Maya Angelou Dr
Oro Valley
Thu, Aug 12, 10am-2pm, Chabad of Oro Valley, 1171 E Rancho Vistoso Blvd
Thu, Aug 12, 9am-1pm, Fry’s on LaCanada, 10450 N La Cañada Dr
Tucson
Wed, Aug 11, 10am-2pm, Polymer Chemistry Innovations, 4231 S Fremont Ave
Mon, Aug 23, 10am-2pm, DOD-Tucson National Guard, 1750 E Silverlake Rd

It’s the blood already on the shelf that helps save lives during disasters and everyday emergencies. Natural disasters like wildfires and hurricanes often force Vitalant to cancel blood drives in affected areas. Donors in unaffected areas can help patients in their community or across the country as Vitalant’s distribution networks helps ensure blood is available when and where it’s needed most.

New donors are also vital to meeting patient needs. First-time donors with Vitalant can now get a glimpse at their blood type immediately* when they donate. Lab confirmation of blood type results and other useful health information is available about a week after donation in the donor’s online account.

Those who received a Food and Drug Administration authorized COVID-19 vaccine can give blood immediately if other eligibility requirements are met. Vitalant follows strict protocols to ensure the safety of donors, patients, and staff, including social distancing and other precautions. Face masks are required for all donors where state or local jurisdictions or blood drive sponsors mandate. Otherwise, masks are only required for donors who are not fully vaccinated.

About Vitalant
Vitalant (“Vye-TAL-ent”) is the nation’s largest independent, nonprofit blood services provider exclusively focused on providing lifesaving blood and comprehensive transfusion medicine services for about 900 hospitals and their patients across the U.S. Every day, Vitalant needs to collect about 5,300 blood, platelet and plasma donations to help save lives. For more information and to schedule a donation appointment, visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825). Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.