Grand Junction Needs O Positive Blood Right Now

Do you have O positive blood? Could you spare a little? A blood bank in Grand Junction could really use it.

It appears the St. Mary's Regional Blood Center in Grand Junction is running short on this particular blood type. How do I know? They emailed me and asked me to come in and donate. The email reads:

We need your help! Your blood type is O positive. We are running a little low right now, and would be so grateful if you could make an appointment to give blood this week.

These emails come to me every other year or so. It made me wonder if O Positive is typically the most in-demand blood type in the United States. Following a not-so-exhausting Google search, it was learned this is not the case. It appears O negative gets the blue ribbon for most popular blood type. According to Google, "O negative blood can be used in transfusions for any blood type. Type O is routinely in short supply and in high demand by hospitals – both because it is the most common blood type and because type O negative blood is the universal blood type needed for emergency transfusions and for immune-deficient infants."

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Well, right here, right now, as of September 28, 2020, St. Mary's Regional Blood Center needs O-Positive. As stated in their email, "We try our best to keep the inventory right where it needs to be, but sometimes there is a higher than normal usage. Right now, blood is going out faster than it is coming in. That is where you come in. By making an appointment to give blood this week, you will make sure that we have enough blood on the shelf ready to go for the next friend, co-worker, or family member in need."

I must admit, while normally a consistent blood donor, I have not donated since the shutdown back in March. To be perfectly blunt, it kind of slipped my mind. With the arrival of this email, I'm ready to go. It's quick, easy, and with the exception of this little pokey thing, they stick your finger with to check your blood type, absolutely painless.

Here's an encore rendition of my top five reasons why you should donate blood at the St. Mary's Regional Blood Center:

• It's painless. Seriously, it doesn't hurt. Yeah, they have to poke a finger with a little needle to get a sample, and that's kind of a drag. Aside from that, you hardly notice anything.
• The people at the blood bank are awesome.
• You really do get free orange juice and cookies!
• You never know when you might need blood. Wouldn't it give you real peace of mind to know there was blood waiting should you need it?
• You literally are saving a life. How many times today will somebody need blood right here in Grand Junction? How about the country? Will it be someone you know? A family member? Be proactive! Emergencies happen without warning, but that doesn't mean you can't be prepared.

Are you ready to donate? It's easy to schedule an appointment online with their user-friendly Donor Portal.

You'll find the blood center at 750 Wellington Avenue in Grand Junction. Donation hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.