According to nonprofit OneBlood, the supply of O negative blood has reached extremely low levels due to high usage in area hospitals. An immediate appeal is being issued for all O negative donors to donate as soon as possible.
O negative blood is the universal blood type, meaning any patient can receive O Negative blood regardless of the recipient’s blood type. O negative is critical for trauma patients, premature babies, cancer patients and emergency surgeries.
To find a donation center or Big Red Bus nearby, please visit www.oneblood.org, or contact a nearby hospital.
There are eight different blood types and each one holds a unique power to save lives. The OneBlood Target Your Type program gives donors the ability to learn the power of their blood type and how to donate the specific components of their blood that are most needed by area hospitals.
Generally healthy people age 16 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds can donate blood. To learn more about the importance of blood donation and how donors can target the power of their blood type, visit oneblood.org.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Urgent need for O Negative Blood