Amazon gift cards available to donors who help with emergency blood shortage

ALBANY — Gift cards made possible thanks to a donation by Amazon to the American Red Cross to help save patients’ lives are being distributed to donors coming in to help address the current emergency blood shortage.

All who come to give blood or platelets with the Red Cross through Aug. 29 will receive a $5 Amazon gift card via email. Currently, Red Cross officials say there is less than a three-day supply of most blood types available and less than a two-day supply of type O blood.

When an emergency arises, it is the blood already on the shelves that saves lives. Only through blood donors can hospitals have the blood supply to meet the ongoing and often unpredictable needs of patients. Blood is needed in the United States every two seconds to help accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and individuals receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.

With the help of a $1 million donation from Amazon, officials with the Red Cross said they hope to motivate donors to roll up a sleeve and alleviate the blood shortage across the country. Amazon’s partnership with the Red Cross is part of its commitment to “Right Now Needs” to help increase blood donations.

“We are grateful to Amazon for their support in addressing a ‘Right Now Need’ for blood donations,” Cliff Numark, senior vice president of Red Cross Blood Services, said. “Each donation truly matters to those counting on blood products to battle illness and injury.

“Today, we are asking the public to donate as soon as possible to ensure blood is available on hospital shelves for those in need.”

For Meghan Jolliffe, the need was immediate after suffering an amniotic fluid embolism. Her heart stopped beating for 14 minutes, and doctors had no time to waste. They needed to perform an emergency cesarean section.

During delivery, Jolliffe’s organs shut down, and her blood would not clot. She needed multiple medical procedures that spanned a seven-hour period and received close to 100 units of blood. Her newborn son, Sullivan, experienced complications after birth and would also need several units of blood.

Collectively, they received 109 units.

“My family and I are forever grateful for the generosity of Red Cross volunteer blood donors,” Jolliffe said. “Donating blood is so important. You or a loved one may never need these lifesaving products, but I can assure you that someone, somewhere will.”

Blood transfusion is one of the most common inpatient hospital procedures in the U.S. Only three out of 100 people in the nation give blood.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities in southwest Georgia through Aug. 30 include:

— Today, 2-7 p.m., Lee County Community — Leesburg United Methodist Church, 117 Starksville Ave., Leesburg;

— Monday, noon-5 p.m., Porterfield Memorial United Methodist Church, 2200 Dawson Road, Albany;

— Aug. 8, noon-6 p.m., First United Methodist Church Moultrie, 409 First St. Southeast, Moultrie; 

— Aug. 10, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Tift County Special Programs Building, 202 Baldwin Drive, Tifton;

— Aug. 12, 1-6 p.m., First Baptist Church, 402 S. Merrimac Drive, Fitzgerald;

— Aug. 13, 1-6 p.m., Cordele Community Clubhouse, 108 15th Ave., Cordele; 

— Aug. 15, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, 417 W. Third Ave., Albany;

— Aug. 15, 2-6 p.m., Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital;

— Aug. 16, 2-6 p.m., Albany Mall, 2601 Dawson Road, Albany;

— Aug. 19, 3-7 p.m., First Baptist Church, 204 Railroad Ave. East, Pearson;

— Aug. 20, noon-6 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 107 W. 12th St., Tifton;

— Aug. 22, 2-7 p.m., Byne Memorial Baptist Church, 2832 Ledo Road, Albany;

— Aug. 22, 1:30-5:30 p.m., Tift Avenue Church of God, 2220 North Tift Ave., Tifton;

— Aug. 29, 12:30-5:30 p.m., Tift Regional Event Center, 1657 S. Carpenter Road, Tifton;

— Aug. 30, 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Albany Dougherty County Government Center, 222 Pine Ave., Albany.

To donate blood, individuals need to bring a blood donor card, driver’s license or two other forms of identification to check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.

High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.

A blood donation process takes roughly an hour from start to finish, but the actual donation itself takes about 10 minutes. Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass.

With RapidPass, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass, follow the instructions at www.redcrossblood.org/rapidpass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

Individuals can schedule an appointment to give by activating Amazon’s Alexa Red Cross Blood Skill by saying, “Alexa, find a blood drive,” or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting www.redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

The Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid, and supports military members and their families.

For more information, visit www.redcross.org or www.cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit @RedCross on Twitter. 

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