“Every day, the Red Cross must collect more than 17,000 pints of blood for patients at more than 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country. Of that, the Alabama and Central Gulf Coast Blood Services Region must collect approximately 600 pints per day,” said Mark Beddingfield, CEO of the American Red Cross Alabama and Central Gulf Coast Blood Services Region, serving the state of Alabama, the Mississippi Coast and the Florida Panhandle. “We need donors to make appointments in the coming days and weeks to help us ensure that all patient blood needs can be met. Each pint of whole blood can help save more than one life.

“There is always the chance that a physician could postpone an elective surgery if the needed blood products aren’t readily available or, in a worst-case scenario, have to forego a more serious procedure because of a shortage of blood,” Beddingfield added. “Our goal is to ensure that doesn’t happen.”

For more information or to make an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org.

A blood donor card or driver’s license, or two other forms of identification, are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies more than 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families.

The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.

For more information, visit redcross.org or join the blog at blog.redcross.org.