American Red Cross Seeks African American Blood Donors in Rockville

The American Red Cross is seeking donations at its Rockville donor center as part of a new campaign to increase its pool of Black and African American blood donors and help people with sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic blood disease in the United States, where it affects approximately 100,000 people of all ethnicities, most of whom are of African or Latino descent. Sickle cell disease causes red blood cells to be hard and crescent-shaped, instead of soft and round. As a result, blood has difficulty flowing smoothly and carrying oxygen throughout the body, which may lead to severe pain, tissue and organ damage, anemia, and even strokes. Transfusions can provide a lifesaving treatment for patients during a sickle cell crisis by increasing the number of normal red blood cells to deliver oxygen throughout the body and unblock blood vessels. A single patient can receive up to 100 pints of blood each year.

Black and African American donors are more likely than other demographics to have blood-specific properties best suited to alleviate the painful symptoms of sickle cell disease. Well-matched blood can decrease the risk of complications related to transfusion therapy, especially in patients who receive lifelong transfusions.

Increasing the donor pool increases the Red Cross’s ability to serve more patients with sickle cell disease. It is also critical to increase the number of available blood donors from all racial and ethnic groups. The Red Cross has COVID-19 safety measures in place to ensure a safe donation process. If you would like to donate, the American Red Cross Blood, Platelet and Plasma Donor Center is in the Saratoga Building, 11820 Parklawn Drive, Suite 510.

For hours and more information, or to schedule an appointment to donate, visit www.redcrossblood.org/local-homepage/location/rockville-american-
red-cross.html or call Rockville blood donor center at 301-945-9044 or 1-800-RED-CROSS.