American Red Cross urges donors to help boost summer supply

Celebrate Fourth of July by donating blood: American Red Cross urges donors to help boost summer supply

HI, JAMES. HI. JIM STIERS, A FAMILIAR FACE. AND ARM AT THE LANCASTER GENERAL HEALTH BLOOD DONOR CENTER. I’VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A LONG TIME. THE 70 YEAR OLD IS A RECORD PLATELET DONOR. HIS STATS? HE’S MADE 628 VISITS, DONATED MORE THAN 80 GALLONS OF PLATELETS AND SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES. A FRIEND OF MINE TOLD ME ONE TIME, IT’S LIKE I’M GETTING AN OIL CHANGE EVERY MONTH. JIM LAUGHS. BUT PLATELETS ARE SERIOUS BUSINESS. THEY PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN BLOOD CLOTTING AND ARE OFTEN USED BY CANCER PATIENTS. TRAUMA PATIENTS AND SOME NEW MOMS WHO’VE GIVEN BIRTH. PLATELET DONORS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE POPULATION FOR A PLATELET DONOR IS MUCH SMALLER THAN THE AVERAGE DONOR FOR BLOOD DONATION. EACH VISIT, A PHLEBOTOMIST LIKE CLARISSA ARMSTRONG MAKES A TREK WITH A SAMPLE OF JIM’S BLOOD TO AN UNDERGROUND CENTRIFUGE SYSTEM. IT’S WHISKED TO THE LAB AT WOMEN AND BABIES HOSPITAL FOR AN ACCURATE PLATELET COUNT. THANK YOU. THE RESULTS ARE BACK IN A SHORT TIME. HIS PLATELET COUNT IS WONDERFUL TODAY. IT IS SO GOOD THAT IT MINIMIZED THE TIME OF DONATION TODAY. AND HE’S ABLE TO DONATE A NICE SINGLE PRODUCT. IT IS SPINNING JIM’S BLOOD AND IT IS SEPARATING HIS PLATELETS FROM THE REST OF THE COMPONENTS. THE REST OF THE COMPONENTS ARE GETTING RETURNED THROUGH THIS TUBING, AND THE PLATELETS ARE GETTING DRAWN UP INTO THESE TWO COLLECTION BAGS. DONORS LIKE JIM HAVE TO HAVE A STRONG VEIN AND TIME. THE DONATION TAKES ANYWHERE FROM AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND A HALF. WITH JIM AS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT, I HAVE TO SQUEEZE THE LITTLE FOOTBALL HERE WHEN IT SAYS DRAW, THAT’S WHEN I SHOULD BE SQUEEZING. IT’S A COMMITMENT. JIM IS HAPPY TO MAKE. I JUST FEEL SO GOOD TO BE ABLE TO DO IT. TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE PLATELETS WHO REALLY NEED THEM, BECAUSE PLATELET DONORS ARE GETTING MOST OF THEIR WHOLE BLOOD RETURNED TO THEIR BODY, THEY CAN DONATE MORE OFTEN THAN BLOOD DONORS. AS THE SIGN SAYS HERE, JIM CAN COME BACK IN FOUR WEEKS. I’LL KEEP GOING AS LONG AS I CAN. THAT COULD BE ANOTHER TEN YEARS SINCE THE NORMAL CUTOFF FOR PLATELET DONORS IS 80 YEARS OLD. I HOPE SOMEBODY CATCHES UP TO ME IN LANCAST

Updated: 3:59 PM CDT Jun 29, 2025

Editorial Standards ��

Celebrate Fourth of July by donating blood: American Red Cross urges donors to help boost summer supply

Updated: 3:59 PM CDT Jun 29, 2025

Editorial Standards ��

The American Red Cross is calling on donors to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday by scheduling blood or platelet donations to help fortify the midsummer blood supply.Click here to see if you are eligible to donate blood. To make an appointment, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor app, click here or call 1-800-733-2767. Learn about a man who has donated 80 gallons of platelets to help others in the video player above.All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. Type O blood is urgently needed, with type O negative critical for emergencies and O positive as the most commonly requested type for patients with chronic illnesses and trauma. Upcoming blood donation opportunities:A blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Anniston7/9/2025: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Public Library of Anniston & Calhoun County, 108 East 10th Street Bessemer7/14/2025: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Medical West, 5000 Medical W WyBirmingham 6/30/2025: 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S6/30/2025: Noon - 6:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace7/1/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., The Village at Lee Branch, 601 Doug Baker Blvd 7/1/2025: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., The Summit Birmingham, 105 Summit Blvd7/1/2025: Noon - 6:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace7/2/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S7/2/2025: 11 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace7/3/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S7/4/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace7/5/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace7/6/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace7/7/2025: Noon - 6:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace 7/8/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 2 Xavier Circle7/8/2025: Noon - 6 p.m., Regions Field, 1401 1st Ave S7/8/2025: Noon - 6:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace7/9/2025: 11 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace7/9/2025: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Regions Field, 1401 1st Ave S7/10/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S7/11/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace7/11/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S7/12/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace7/13/2025: 7:30 a.m. - Noon, Bluff Park United Methodist, 733 Valley Street7/13/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace7/14/2025: 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S7/14/2025: Noon - 6:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace Chelsea7/1/2025: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Chelsea Community Center, 11101 Hwy 47 Cullman7/9/2025: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Cullman Community- The Link, 708 9th St. SE Gadsden 7/13/2025: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., St. James Catholic Church, 622 Chestnut Street Dora7/11/2025: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Bagley Church of God, 7077 Hwy 78 EGardendale7/2/2025: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Gardendale Civic Center, 857 Main St7/14/2025: Noon - 5 p.m., Gardendale Civic Center, 857 Main StHomewood6/30/2025: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church, 1400 Oxmoor RdHoover7/7/2025: Noon - 5 p.m., Finley Center, 5508 Stadium Trace Pkwy7/7/2025: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., The Wynfrey Hotel, 1000 Galleria Cir Mountain Brook7/2/2025: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Levitte Jewish Community Center, 3960 Montclair RdNorthport7/3/2025: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., City of Northport Civic Center, 3500 McFarland BlvdOxford 7/7/2025: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Oxford Civic Center, 401 McCullars Ln Pelham7/3/2025: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Pelham Public Library, 2000 Pelham Park Boulevard Pell City6/30/2025: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., 19th St. Rec Hall, 405 19th St. S Tuscaloosa 7/1/2025: Noon - 4 p.m., Alabama One Credit Union, 1215 Veterans Memorial Pkwy7/8/2025: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., University Mall, 1701 McFarland Boulevard East, Suite 100 Trussville 7/3/2025: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Trussville Community at Trussville Civic Center, 5381 Trussville Clay Rd.7/10/2025: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., YMCA Trussville, 5920 Valley Road

The American Red Cross is calling on donors to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday by scheduling blood or platelet donations to help fortify the midsummer blood supply.

Click to see if you are eligible to donate blood.

To make an appointment, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor app, click or call 1-800-733-2767.

Learn about a man who has donated 80 gallons of platelets to help others in the video player above.

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. Type O blood is urgently needed, with type O negative critical for emergencies and O positive as the most commonly requested type for patients with chronic illnesses and trauma.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

A blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.

Anniston

7/9/2025: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Public Library of Anniston & Calhoun County, 108 East 10th Street

Bessemer

7/14/2025: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Medical West, 5000 Medical W Wy

Birmingham

6/30/2025: 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S

6/30/2025: Noon - 6:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/1/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., The Village at Lee Branch, 601 Doug Baker Blvd

7/1/2025: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., The Summit Birmingham, 105 Summit Blvd

7/1/2025: Noon - 6:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/2/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S

7/2/2025: 11 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/3/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S

7/4/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/5/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/6/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/7/2025: Noon - 6:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/8/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 2 Xavier Circle

7/8/2025: Noon - 6 p.m., Regions Field, 1401 1st Ave S

7/8/2025: Noon - 6:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/9/2025: 11 a.m. - 5:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/9/2025: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Regions Field, 1401 1st Ave S

7/10/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S

7/11/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/11/2025: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S

7/12/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/13/2025: 7:30 a.m. - Noon, Bluff Park United Methodist, 733 Valley Street

7/13/2025: 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

7/14/2025: 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., UAB Medical Center Blood Donation Center, 1802 6th Ave S

7/14/2025: Noon - 6:45 p.m., Birmingham Blood Donation Center, 700 Caldwell Trace

Chelsea

7/1/2025: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Chelsea Community Center, 11101 Hwy 47

Cullman

7/9/2025: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Cullman Community- The Link, 708 9th St. SE

Gadsden

7/13/2025: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., St. James Catholic Church, 622 Chestnut Street

Dora

7/11/2025: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Bagley Church of God, 7077 Hwy 78 E

Gardendale

7/2/2025: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Gardendale Civic Center, 857 Main St

7/14/2025: Noon - 5 p.m., Gardendale Civic Center, 857 Main St

Homewood

6/30/2025: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church, 1400 Oxmoor Rd

Hoover

7/7/2025: Noon - 5 p.m., Finley Center, 5508 Stadium Trace Pkwy

7/7/2025: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., The Wynfrey Hotel, 1000 Galleria Cir

Mountain Brook

7/2/2025: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Levitte Jewish Community Center, 3960 Montclair Rd

Northport

7/3/2025: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., City of Northport Civic Center, 3500 McFarland Blvd

Oxford

7/7/2025: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Oxford Civic Center, 401 McCullars Ln

Pelham

7/3/2025: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Pelham Public Library, 2000 Pelham Park Boulevard

Pell City

6/30/2025: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., 19th St. Rec Hall, 405 19th St. S

Tuscaloosa

7/1/2025: Noon - 4 p.m., Alabama One Credit Union, 1215 Veterans Memorial Pkwy

7/8/2025: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., University Mall, 1701 McFarland Boulevard East, Suite 100

Trussville

7/3/2025: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Trussville Community at Trussville Civic Center, 5381 Trussville Clay Rd.

7/10/2025: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., YMCA Trussville, 5920 Valley Road

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Celebrate Fourth of July by donating blood: American Red Cross urges donors to help boost summer supply

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

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