JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Summer months take a toll on the blood supply, and this year has been especially difficult in Northeast Florida, including Duval County, and across the country, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers said.
"Our peak demographic is 18 to 25, so when people go to school or go on vacation, those blood donations go missing from what we normally have," said Karen Patterson, community development coordinator for LifeSouth of Jacksonville.
As blood shortages affect blood centers across the country, LifeSouth faces an emergency need for all blood types and asks community members to donate blood to ensure area hospitals have blood available for patients before it is needed.
"Currently, we're in emergency need and that means there's less than a two-day supply of blood on our local hospital shelves," Patterson said Thursday.
"We're in need of all blood types, so if you don't know your blood type, that's fine. Come on down and we'll find out what it is. If you happen to know your blood type and you're O negative, we would really love to see you because you're the universal blood donor."LifeSouth has two donor centers in Jacksonville at:
- 7840 Baymeadows Way
- 800 Prudential Drive (inside Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville)
LifeSouth’s bloodmobiles will also be out at many locations this month. Below is a list of upcoming blood drives:
Date | Location | City | Time |
---|---|---|---|
July 23 | Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville - Prudential Drive | Jacksonville | 6 a.m.-7 p.m. |
July 23 | Nassau County Tax Collector - License Road | Yulee | 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. |
July 24 | Winn-Dixie - Chaffee Road | Jacksonville | 2 p.m.-8 p.m. |
July 24 | Best Buy - Atlantic Boulevard | Jacksonville | 1:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. |
July 25 | Cole, Scott & Kissane, P.A. | Jacksonville | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. |
July 25 | Publix - San Jose Boulevard | Jacksonville | 4 p.m.-7:30 p.m. |
July 25 | Winn Dixie - Fort Caroline | Jacksonville | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. |
July 26 | CDA Technical Institute - Trout River Drive | Jacksonville | 9 a.m.-6 p.m. |
July 27 | Walmart - 13490 Beach Blvd. | Jacksonville | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. |
July 27 | God's Bridge Lamb of God Ministry | Callahan | 2 p.m.-7 p.m. |
July 28 | Walmart - Blanding Boulevard | Orange Park | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. |
July 28 | PETCO - 463713 State Road | Yulee | 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. |
July 29 | Planet Fitness - Old St. Augustine Road | Jacksonville | 2 p.m.-8 p.m. |
July 29 | Walmart - East State Road 200 | Yulee | 1 p.m.-7 p.m. |
July 30 | Cecil Pines - Lake Cove Avenue | Jacksonville | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. |
July 30 | Pet Supermarket - Collins Road | Jacksonville | 3 p.m.-7 p.m. |
July 30 | Winn Dixie - Oceanway | Jacksonville | 1:30 p.m.-8 p.m. |
July 31 | Publix Super Market at Deerwood Village SC | Jacksonville | 2 p.m.-7 p.m. |
July 31 | Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital - University Boulevard South | Jacksonville | 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. |
July 31 | Lucky's Market - Atlantic Boulevard | Neptune Beach | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. |
Donors must be at least 17 years old or 16 with parental permission, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good health. A photo ID is needed. Before giving blood, donors are advised to drink lots of water, eat a good meal and be well rested.
All donors receive a thank-you gift and a mini-physical.
"You could be giving somebody another birthday, another Christmas, another football season, so please take the time to come and see us," Patterson said.
For more information, call LifeSouth toll-free at 888-795-2707 or visit www.lifesouth.org. Donors can make an appointment online and walk-ins are also welcome.