Red Cross Asks Blood Donors to Give the "Perfect Gift"

One blood donation can give up to three families more time and more memories

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross today launched a holiday promotion that shows how a blood donation can be the perfect gift that money can't buy.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090108/RedCrossLOGO)

"Every time you choose to donate blood, you can give someone the perfect gift – more time with his or her family and friends," said Darren Irby, Executive Director, American Red Cross Blood Services. "Giving blood takes around an hour, but you can give someone else hours, days, even years of time."

Through the "Perfect Gift" campaign, the Red Cross reinforces this message with a public service announcement compiled from home videos of the "perfect gift" gathered from families across the country.

"I give blood because I want to give other families the opportunity to make more memories," said Makaila Haase, of Des Moines, Iowa. "In our video, I received my perfect gift – tickets to a Taylor Swift concert. The memory will always make me smile."

The Perfect Gift video is online at RedCrossBlood.org and will be shared as a public service announcement in communities across the country.

According to a national survey by the American Red Cross, about one in five (19 percent) respondents plan on giving blood this holiday season.* These donations are desperately needed as the Red Cross heads into the busy month of December. 

During the holiday season, blood donations often decrease as weather woes increase and family schedules turn tumultuous. Every two seconds, someone in this country needs blood. On average, 44,000 blood donations are needed each day to help trauma victims, surgical patients, burn victims, patients with blood disorders and many others.

Potential blood donors must be 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and be in generally good health. People should bring their Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when they come to donate. Eligible donors can give whole blood every 56 days.

To schedule a donation time or get more information about giving blood or platelets, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

*Survey details: Telephone survey of 1,020 U.S. Adults 18 years and older on September 29 - October 2, 2011 conducted in ORC International's CARAVAN® survey using a landline-cell dual-frame sampling design. Margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

SOURCE American Red Cross