The American Red Cross is sounding the alarm about a critical blood shortage in Southern California, with Type O supplies dropping to their lowest summer levels in four years.
Jacquelyn Clites, regional chief executive officer for the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region, told the Los Angeles Daily News that the situation has become dire for patients across the region. “When blood donations decline, patients facing emergencies, cancer treatments and other serious medical conditions can feel the impact almost immediately,” she said.
The shortage reached a tipping point in late July when the organization had less than a one-day national supply of Type O positive blood available. Type O negative blood, which can be transfused to patients of any blood type during emergencies, and Type O positive blood, the most commonly transfused type, are both in critically short supply.
To combat the crisis, the American Red Cross is partnering with the International WeLoveU Foundation for a major blood drive this Sunday at the Pasadena Convention Center. The event, running from 9 a.m. To 3 p.m. At 300 E. Green St., is one of three simultaneous drives planned across the country, with additional events in Portland, Oregon, and Philadelphia.
Hundreds of donors have already scheduled appointments for the Pasadena drive, where organizers are aiming for at least 300 total appointments. Walk-ins will also be accepted throughout the day.
Jessica Amaya, a program manager with the WeLoveU Foundation, emphasized the immediate life-saving potential of each donation. “Every time a volunteer rolls up their sleeve, they’re making a decision that could save a stranger’s life within hours,” she told the Daily News.
A single trauma patient, such as someone injured in a car wreck, can require as many as 100 units of blood, according to the American Red Cross. That demand puts enormous pressure on a supply chain already strained by seasonal challenges.
Beyond the Pasadena Convention Center event, other blood drives are scheduled throughout the region this week. A drive on Friday at Los Angeles County Fire Department Station 89 in Agoura Hills, located at 29575 Canwood St., offers another opportunity for eligible donors to contribute.
In the viral moment that first drew national attention to blood supply vulnerabilities, hospitals and trauma centers across the country have faced similar shortages, with some facilities forced to delay elective procedures or temporarily close trauma centers when supplies run too low. The Harbor-UCLA trauma center briefly shut down earlier amid unprecedented shortages, with officials warning that more closures could follow if donation levels do not improve.
The Pasadena Convention Center blood drive runs Sunday from 9 a.m. To 3 p.m.