Southern New Jersey and Greater Philadelphia Area blood donors rolled up their sleeves on March 25 – Red Cross Giving Day – as 6abc held their sixth annual Red Cross Month Blood Drive. This year’s drive was expanded to five locations – including two in New Jersey – and collected an incredible 517 blood products!
6abc’s Trish Hartman was broadcasting live from the Grand Ballroom in Collingswood and had the opportunity to speak with several blood donors, as well as our new Regional Executive, Wendy Vara. Wendy says,
“People may not realize that blood has a shelf life. Some blood only lasts 42 days, other blood products may only last five days. It’s important that we keep the supply constantly replenished so that blood is readily available on the shelf.”
Other locations for this year’s 6abc blood drive included the Forum Wedding and Catering Hall in Blackwood, as well as drives in Sellersville, Royersford and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.
All blood donors at drives in March receive a $15 Amazon Gift Card by email and successful donations receive A1C testing (diabetes screen, one result in 2026). Donors at the 6abc blood drive locations also received a rechargeable Red Cross lantern along with a 6abc drawstring bag and stress ball.
Crucial Need for Blood
Exceptional promotion leading up to the drive helped the audience understand how donated blood helps patients in need, like those who rely on transfusions — including trauma victims, mothers in childbirth, and people with sickle cell disease or cancer.
You can learn too by watching their stories:
Since 2021, these successful 6abc blood drives have collected more than 1,600 blood donations to help patients in need of blood.
How to Donate Blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. 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 in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are generally in 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.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.
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