DETROIT – Hospitals across the country are facing dangerously low supplies of blood.
A blood drive was held Thursday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit with help from the American Red Cross.
“We have a great need for blood right now. We’re at an emergency level,” Beth Frahm with the American Red Cross said.
Thursday’s blood drive was the fourth of its kind at the arena.
“June, July and August are our most critical times to collect blood. It’s been a difficult and challenging year for us, as we all know,” Frahm said.
Christopher Prost attended the event on Thursday. It wasn’t his first time donating blood.
“Basically every four months I give double red,” Prost said.
Everyone who came out to donate blood on Thursday gets to spin a wheel where they can win tickets to sporting events or sports memorabilia. The people Local 4 spoke with said the real reward was knowing that they were helping save lives.
“You’re helping somebody. It could be young, it could be old,” donor Kathy Ortez said.
Just one blood donation can help save up to three lives. The goal on Thursday was to get 200 donations. The doors at LCA were open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursday.
Donors of all blood types, especially type O are urged to make an appointment to donate as soon as possible.
Read: Blood shortage impacts Metro Detroit hospitals, donations needed