DETROIT (Aug. 5, 2025) – During National Wellness Month in August, the American Red Cross will provide free A1C screening for donors who make a successful blood, platelet or plasma donation, and have not received an A1C test result with their donation in the past 12 months.
The test, which is commonly used to screen for diabetes and prediabetes, measures an individual’s blood sugar level over the past three months. While no fasting is required for the test, blood donors should eat a nutritious meal ahead of their appointment.
Blood donations will be tested using samples obtained at the time of donation and sent to a testing laboratory for routine screening. Visit rcblood.org/Test for more details.
Donors can expect to receive their test result within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App or their donor account at RedCrossBlood.org. An elevated A1C level may indicate prediabetes or diabetes, and individuals are encouraged to speak with their doctor.
This is the second time this year that the Red Cross is providing A1C testing for blood donations. The first was during the month of March.
Diabetes affects 1 in 10 people and nearly a quarter of those living with it have been undiagnosed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The A1C screening aims to help address this gap by empowering blood donors with valuable information to maintain their health and well-being.
A1C screening is provided at Red Cross mobile blood drives and donation centers. The Red Cross is hosting blood drives on Aug. 7 at Little Caesars Arena in partnership with The District Detroit, and Aug. 12 and Aug. 14 at Gardner White furniture stores.
To book a donation appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App or call 1-800-RED CROSS.
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MEDIA CONTACT: David Olejarz / david.olejarz@redcross.org / 313-303-0606
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.
