January marks the National Blood Donor Month, but fewer people than ever remember this. In fact, January is known to be a slow month for the American Red Cross as local blood centers have a hard time in collecting blood because of the holidays, travel schedules and illnesses.

 

Pat Kovar from the Community Blood Services in Illinois said blood supplies declined significantly during the last two weeks of December “as blood donors (were) busy with holiday season activities and blood usage at area hospitals was at a near record high level.”

 

That’s why the National Blood Donor Month tries to make a difference for people whose lives depend on blood donor. It has been celebrated since 1970 in order to respond to the need for blood and to open up the eyes of people on the importance of blood donation.

 

The shortage is more severe as less than 5 percent of eligible donors in the country are known to have been donating blood. So if you are at least 17, weigh at least 110 pounds and also in good shape you can be one of the people saving a person’s life. Every two seconds, someone needs blood, the American Red Cross estimates.

 

Currently, there is a critical need for Type O blood, which is the most common blood type and is used extensively by hospitals. Type 0 blood donors are considered universal red cell donors because their blood can be given to most other blood types in emergencies when there is no time to type a patient’s blood.