The blood supply nationwide is low, a frequent occurrence in the summer months. With vacation and summer travel, regular collection patterns are disrupted, leaving the Alabama blood supply at below optimum levels, say blood supply officials at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the American Red Cross.
UAB and the Red Cross will hold a blood drive July 8-18. The drive, “Hunting for Donors,” offers a safari-style theme. The drive runs at UAB Hospital North Pavilion, second floor atrium, July 8-13 and at UAB Highlands Hospital July 16-18. All blood types are needed.
Each donor will be entered for a chance to win an iPad or Kindle Fire HD.
Drive hours at the North Pavilion, 18th Street and 6th Ave. North, are:
- Monday, July 8, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 9, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 10, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Thursday, July 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Friday, July 12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Saturday, July 13, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Hours at UAB Highlands, 1201 11th Ave. South:
- Tuesday, July 16, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 17, 6:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Thursday, July 18, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Donors should bring a photo ID. Free parking is available in the North Pavilion parking deck and the UAB Highlands parking lot.
UAB is one of the largest users nationally of blood supplied by the Red Cross. Donors can give blood up to six times a year, every eight weeks. The process takes about 45 minutes; the actual blood collection usually takes less than 20 minutes.
Blood products are used during surgery, transplantation, trauma care, difficult pregnancies and cancer treatment. It is not unheard of for a single patient to require as many as 100 units.