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The American Red Cross declares a national blood crisis as supplies drop by 25% nationwide

The American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis, marking the second time in the organization's 150-year history that supplies have reached such a low level. The shortage is driven by a 25% drop in donations while hospital demand continues to rise during the summer months. Factors such as extreme heat, wildfires, and widespread food-borne illnesses have hindered donation turnout. Dr. Courtney Lawrence of the American Red Cross noted that hospitals are currently requesting approximately 3,500 more units of blood than normal for this time of year. The crisis particularly affects patients with conditions like sickle cell disease, who rely on regular transfusions. To address the shortage, the American Red Cross is offering incentives such as Fandango movie tickets and Amazon gift cards to encourage eligible donors to replenish the inventory. The organization emphasizes that O positive and O negative blood types are most urgently needed to support emergency and routine medical operations.

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