World Blood Donor Day is an opportunity to celebrate the role of volunteer blood donors around the world.
According to the World Blood Donor Day website, 92 million blood donations are made worldwide each year. In the Missouri-Illinois region, nearly 800 blood donors are needed each day to help meet the needs of area hospital patients.
Volunteer blood donors help the American Red Cross supply around nine million transfusable blood products to patients at approximately 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the United States.
World Blood Donor Day is also designed to raise awareness about the need for safe blood and blood products.
Efforts to ensure donor and recipient safety have reduced the population of eligible voluntary blood donors.
By joining the Red Cross in celebration of World Blood Donor Day on June 14, you can help recruit new blood donors into the system.
The more blood donors available, the less the likelihood of a shortage.
Plus, when you visit a Red Cross blood drive between now and July 31 you’ll be eligible to win a Gibson guitar, courtesy of The Gibson Foundation. The Red Cross will award multiple guitars and 50,000 guitar picks, co-branded with the Gibson and Red Cross logos, during this campaign. In addition, you’ll receive a rock and roll themed t-shirt.
As a special incentive for our young donors, anyone aged 16-21 can enter to win a $5,000 scholarship!
You can make an appointment to give blood at one of the following Red Cross blood drives by visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS.
Here are the locations around the Kansas City metro area and dates of specific blood drives:
- 6/11/2012, Community Center, 6901 North Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO, 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- 6/12/2012, Kauffman Foundation, 4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MO, 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- 6/12/2012, Eagle Fitness Center, 338 S. 291 Hwy, Liberty, MO, 2:30 PM to 7:30 PM
- 6/13/2012, Quintiles Transnational Inc, 6700 W. 115th St., Overland Park, KS, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- 6/14/2012, Epiq Systems Inc, 501 Kansas Avenue, Kansas City, KS, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- 6/14/2012, Genesys, 3210 E. 85th Street, Kansas City, MO, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- 6/15/2012, Ruskin Company, 3900 Dr. Greaves Road, Grandview, MO, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- 6/15/2012, Westin Crown Center, 1 E. Pershing, Kansas City, MO, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- 6/16/2012, Swope Parkway Health Center, 3801 Blue Parkway, Kansas City, MO, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
- 6/18/2012, Gear For Sports, 9700 Commerce Parkway, Lenexa, KS, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- 6/18/2012, Hy-Vee Independence Noland Rd, 4545 S Noland Rd, Independence, MO, 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- 6/19/2012, Wallula Christian Church, 23785 139th Street, Leavenworth, KS, 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- 6/19/2012, Blue Springs Hy-Vee, 625 SW US Hwy 40, Blue Springs, MO, 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- 6/20/2012, VFW Headquarters, 406 W. 34th St, Kansas City, MO, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- 6/21/2012, Midland Loan Services, 10851 Mastin St., Overland Park, KS, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- 6/22/2012, Waddell and Reed, 6301 Glenwood, Overland Park, KS, 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM
- 6/22/2012, AECOM, 2380 McGee Street, Kansas City, MO, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- 6/23/2012, Lee Haven Community Center, 111 S.E. Grand, Lee's Summit, MO, 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM
- 6/25/2012, Atchison Heritage Conference Center, 710 S. 9th Street, Atchison, KS, 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
