March 31st, 2020- First, there was the Ice Bucket Challenge. Now there is the Give Blood Challenge.
Illinois hospitals are facing a critical shortage of blood because bloodmobiles can no longer visit campuses, churches and other places where people congregate. The Illinois Coalition of Community Blood Centers has come up with a plan to get people to donate. Coalition executive director Margaret Vaughn explains the agency’s new Give Blood Challenge.
“One thing that is increasing is people’s time on social media,” she said. “So what we are encouraging people to do is go online and make an appointment to donate blood. Then take a picture or a screenshot of that and post it on Facebook. Or when you get to the blood center, have someone take your picture donating blood and post it online, and challenge 10 of your friends to do the same.”
Blood supplies are down 40% over this time last year, said Vaughn. So the coalition created the Give Blood Challenge to remind people that they can donate in community blood centers across the state, and people’s lives are depending on them. The blood collected is not intended for COVID-19 patients, however, the pandemic is preventing blood from getting to other people who need it, such as cancer patients, sickle cell patients, women in childbirth and trauma victims.
“It takes about an hour of your time, once you get to the center, and your single donation can save up to three lives,” she said.
Vaughn stressed that blood donation is safe, centers are spacing out chairs and travel to donate blood is permitted under Illinois’ stay-at-home order. The centers are strictly regulated and donors are screened before giving blood and the blood is screened after it is donated.
Visit www.americasblood.org to find a center near you and schedule a donation.
