Blood donations vital during summer months

Blood donations tend to decline during the summer months, according to the American Red Cross.

This simply may be because dedicated donors go away on vacations.

Participation in blood drives is vital to meet the need at the American Red Cross and those who receive blood donations. While all blood types are appreciated, there is a special need for types O negative, A negative and B negative.

There is also an urgent need for blood platelets.

According to a news release, the Red Cross says 15,000 blood donations are needed daily to support patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.

Several blood drives have been held in recent days, and another wave of drives is planned in coordination with World Blood Donor Day on June 14 and throughout the summer.

We encourage you to consider a blood donation to help those in need.

Here is a list of some upcoming local blood drives:

* 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. May 29 at First Baptist Church, 502 Broadway, Marble Hill.

* Noon to 4 p.m. May 29 at Black River Electric Co Operative, 2600 Highway 67, Fredericktown

* 2 to 5 p.m., June 8 First Baptist Church, 4154 State Highway E, Oak Ridge

* 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 12 The Bank of Missouri, 3427 William Street in Cape Girardeau

* 1 to 6 p.m. June 12 West Park Mall (J.C. Penney)

* Noon to 5 p.m., June 13 AC Brase Arena Building, 410 Kiwanis Drive, Cape Girardeau

* 1 to 5 p.m., June 15 Cape Girardeau Blood Donation Center, 20 S. Mount Auburn Road, Cape Girardeau.