With back-to-back hurricanes canceling hundreds of blood drives in Southeastern parts of the United States in recent weeks, the American Red Cross is calling for help from other parts of the country, including Central Illinois.
The Red Cross will host numerous blood drives in Champaign County over the next month.,
Dozens of students attended a drive hosted last week by Seven07, an apartment complex in Champaign. Among them, Lali Rico, a junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Rico said she donated blood for her first time to help hurricane victims.
“I’ve been seeing a lot of social media posts about the hurricane and that there’s a blood shortage right now, so I wanted to do my part and help,” she said.
The American Red Cross said in a press release that the need for donated blood is constant and it’s crucial that other parts of the country help make up for cancellations across the Southeastern U.S.
Rico said she thought of her family when deciding to give blood.
“I know that a lot of people are hurt during these times and I just imagine my own family members or friends,” Rico said. “I have a lot of family friends that received blood transfusions and stuff and I know that drives like this really help them.”
Future Red Cross blood drives this month in Champaign County include the following on the UIUC campus:
- Oct. 15, 2024, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Illini Union
- Oct. 17, 2024, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Illini Union
- Oct. 31, 2024, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Illini Union
- Nov. 8, 2024, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Newman Hall
- Nov. 11, 2024 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM: Illini Union