With extreme heat keeping some donors at home and severe storms forcing the cancellation of dozens of blood drives earlier in the month, the American Red Cross continues to have an emergency need for donors of all blood types. If at least two additional donors give at each blood drive through the end of July – above what the American Red Cross already expects to collect - the blood supply would be sufficient to meet patient needs.
Red Cross blood donations are at the lowest they have been in 15 years. Public support from the organization’s late-June appeal helped temporarily stop a decline in the blood supply. However, the mid-week Independence Day and extreme summer weather have contributed to a decrease in donations lately.
“We cannot say ‘thank you’ enough to the blood donors who have already rolled up a sleeve this summer,” said Terri Dunaway, CEO of the Central Plains Blood Services Region. “We appreciate the support from we’ve received from donors throughout Kansas and Northern Oklahoma. We’re encouraging all eligible donors who didn’t have a chance to give yet to step up and help patients by making an appointment, as well as those who gave earlier in the spring and are now again eligible.”  
The upcoming blood drives are:
•St. Rose Ambulatory and Surgery Center Blood Drive , 3515 Broadway, Aug. 9, from 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
•Stafford Community Blood Drive, Stafford Senior Center – 130 S. Main, Aug. 10, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
•Claflin Community Blood Drive, Immaculate Conception Church – 110 E. Williamson, Aug. 14, from  1:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
•Larned Community Blood Drive, First United Methodist Church – 701 Main St., Aug. 3 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
How to Donate Blood
Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information.