Story submitted by the Red Cross

While thousands of people answered the emergency call for blood and platelet donations issued by the Red Cross in early July, there remains an urgent need for all blood types.

Right now, blood products are being distributed to area hospitals almost as quickly as donations are coming in.

Eligible donors with types O negative, B negative and A negative blood are especially encouraged to give double red cells where available. Type O negative is the universal blood type and can be transfused to anyone who needs blood. Types A negative and B negative can be transfused to Rh positive or negative patients. Double red cell donation is done with the help of a machine, which collects the red cells but returns most of the plasma and platelets to the donor. Donors need to meet slightly higher hemoglobin and body height/weight requirements to be able to give a double red cell donation. Double red cell donations take approximately 30 minutes longer than whole blood donations and allow you to give two pints of red cells.

Every day, the Red Cross must collect almost 17,000 pints of blood for patients at nearly 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country. Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion.

Blood drives in the month of August are part of the American Red Cross Red Cross Summer of Stories campaign. Individuals can visit redcrossblood.org/summer to share their donation story.

Your blood donation could help save up to three lives. The following are a list of blood donation opportunities in the community through August 15 throughout Dickson, Houston, Montgomery and Stewart Counties. Please call 1-800 RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org to schedule your appointment.

Dickson Dickson 8/5/2013 10:00 AM 2:00 PM Wal-Mart 175 Beasley Drive
Dickson Dickson 8/8/2013 11:00 AM 4:00 PM Walnut Street Church of Christ 201 Center Ave
Montgomery Clarksville 7/22/2013 10:30 AM 4:30 PM American Red Cross 1760 Madison Street
Montgomery Clarksville 7/23/2013 10:30 AM 4:30 PM American Red Cross 1760 Madison Street
Montgomery Clarksville 7/24/2013 3:30 PM 7:30 PM Hilldale Baptist Church 2001 Madison Street
Montgomery Clarksville 7/29/2013 1:00 PM 6:00 PM American Red Cross 1760 Madison Street
Montgomery Clarksville 7/30/2013 10:30 AM 4:30 PM American Red Cross 1760 Madison Street
Montgomery Clarksville 8/2/2013 1:00 PM 7:00 PM Governor’s Square Mall 2801 Wilma Rudolph Blvd
Montgomery Clarksville 8/3/2013 8:00 AM 12:00 PM American Red Cross 1760 Madison Street
Montgomery Clarksville 8/5/2013 10:30 AM 4:30 PM American Red Cross 1760 Madison Street
Montgomery Clarksville 8/9/2013 9:00 AM 1:00 PM Clarksville Nursing & Rehabilitation Ctr 900 Professional Park Drive
Montgomery Clarksville 8/11/2013 8:30 AM 1:30 PM Rossview High School 1237 Rossview Road
Montgomery Clarksville 8/12/2013 10:30 AM 4:30 PM American Red Cross 1760 Madison Street
Stewart Big Rock 8/7/2013 4:00 PM 8:00 PM New Hope Church of God 1439 Highway 120