Blood Donors Critical to Enabling Patients to Thrive

Nonprofit Vitalant urges all eligible blood donors to make an appointment to give now for the coming days and weeks to boost the blood supply for patients in need. 

After Vitalant announced an emergency shortage of type O blood in July, the need remains especially critical for type O blood which is the most transfused blood type. O-negative can be used to help any patient and O-positive can help any patient with A-positive, B-positive, AB-positive or O-positive blood. Donors of all other blood types and platelet donations are also urgently needed.

Blood donors helped ensure Chelsea Romig has the energy she needs to be active this summer. An avid hiker, she went to the doctor when she experienced fatigue and difficulty breathing. Over several months, she received eight units of blood and was diagnosed with hemolytic anemia, which destroys red blood cells in the body faster than the body can produce, and another related blood disease. Blood transfusions are a continued part of her treatment.

"Blood has given me my life back," Romig said. "It’s something I didn’t necessarily appreciate until now. I couldn’t hike last year and thought I might never be able to do it again. Without blood I wouldn’t have made it."

All who come to donate with Vitalant July 28-Aug. 29 will receive a $10 gift card through Donor Rewards and be entered into the $10,000 Grocery Giveaway – enough to buy groceries for a year! Two winners will choose the prepaid gift card of their choice. 

Learn more and make an appointment to give at vitalant.org, download and use the Vitalant Blood Donor mobile app or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).