Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. That person could be a friend or loved one, it might even be you.

Blood and platelets are needed for accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatments for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease— every day. The American Red Cross must collect more than 13,000 blood donations each day to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country.

Schedule an appointment to donate today

All eligible individuals are urged to schedule a blood or platelet donation by using the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors can help even more people by inviting a family member, friend or co-worker to donate too.

The Red Cross encourages individuals to make a donation appointment and to complete a RapidPass online health history questionnaire to help speed up the donation process. RapidPass can now be completed on mobile devices and through the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

Restrictions

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 in generally 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.