Wednesday, October 16, the Red Cross will host a blood drive on Nantucket at 22 New South Road at the VFW.

This October will mark the return of a Red Cross blood drive to the Island of Nantucket.

The blood drive is Oct. 16, 2024, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Nantucket VFW – 22 New South Road. Appointments can be made by visiting RedCrossBlood.org and entering the Nantucket zip code of 02554.

The need has never been greater, and if it has been a while since your last donation, there have been changes to eligibility requirements. This short video can help you better understand if you are eligible.

Babesiosis & Lyme Eligibility:

Both Babesiosis and Lyme disease affect people in the New England area. Both are spread through tick bites.

• Those who have had babesiosis or had a positive test for Babesia microti will have to wait 24 months until the treatment is completed (if treatment was required) or 24 months after a positive test (if treatment was not required) to be able to donate blood.
• A person with Lyme disease must wait until the treatment is completed and needs to feel well to be able to donate blood.
• Any person being treated for an acute or chronic infection with an antibiotic cannot donate blood.
• Individuals who have been deferred in the past can initiate donor reinstatement by contacting the Red Cross Donor and Client Support Center at 1-866-236-3276. Individuals with questions about their donation eligibility can contact the Red Cross Donor and Client Support Center at 1-866-236-3276.

New FDA Rules for donation:

In August 2023, the American Red Cross implemented the updated FDA blood donation guidelines which eliminate questions based on sexual orientation. We look forward to welcoming those who may be newly eligible to give through a more inclusive blood donation process.

The Red Cross is committed to achieving an inclusive blood donation process that treats all potential donors with equality and respect, and ensures a safe, sufficient blood supply is readily available for patients in need. This historic change in approach to donor eligibility is significant progress, resulting in a blood donation process that is more inclusive than ever before.

For many years, the Red Cross has worked to change the deferral policy concerning men who have sex with men (MSM). This work included decades of data collection and assessment on the impact to transfusion safety, ongoing advocacy to eliminate donor questions based on sexual orientation, and our role as a leading contributor in the FDA-funded ADVANCE Study. This work has demonstrated that this new eligibility screening process ensures a safe blood supply, and all patients may continue to trust that the blood they receive is safe.

Donate Now

The need for blood across the United States has never been greater. Heat and sever weather impacted more than 100 blood drives this summer in nearly every state where the Red Cross collects blood – compounding other seasonal obstacles to blood donation, such as travel and summer activities. Together these factors contributed to a shortfall of more than 19,000 blood donations in July alone. At the same time, hospital demand for blood products remains strong. Blood products are being sent to hospitals faster than donations are coming in. Right now, type O inventory is so low, distributions of this vital blood type are reduced below what hospitals count on.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.