Blood Donations Needed; O- & B- In Most Need

DULUTH, Minn. — There is an urgent call for blood donations in our area, especially people with type O- and type B- blood.

The region’s supply of O- and B- blood is currently at a 2-day level, far below what is needed to meet hospital demands.

Seasonal declines in blood donations are common, as school breaks, holiday travel, and busy summer schedules often lead to fewer appointments. But this summer’s drop-off is steeper than anticipated.

“About 30% of our blood supply comes from high school and college students and so in the summer we miss them,” said Michele Keil, with Memorial Blood Centers. “They’re not around, they’re home for vacation – for summer vacation – we miss them a lot so that definitely contributes to the dip that we see in donations over the summer.”

You can donate at their new facility on central entrance near Arlington Ave. But you can also visit Memorial Blood Centers website for other places to give all over Northland.

Memorial Blood Centers serves all of Minnesota, plus Western Wisconsin and Eastern North Dakota.