The American Red Cross declared an emergency blood shortage in January, with the lowest number of people giving blood in nearly two decades.

In the winter months, the American Red Cross can anticipate a blood shortage, and especially over the holidays is when there is dire need for blood donors.

This is when the usual blood donors are even too busy to donate or think about donating, but the demand for blood infusions never stops. This year, between Christmas and New Year’s day alone, there was a 7,000 unit shortage. In recent years there has been a decline in blood donors.

The American Red Cross reports, “Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds, and most of us will need blood in our lifetime.”

Hospitals are having to ration how much blood they give patients. A patient in need of blood could be a cancer patient, a person who was in a car accident, or even a premature baby. According to the American Red Cross, around 62% of people in the U.S are eligible to donate blood, but only about 3% do.

How Can You Help?

It is easy and fast to donate blood and there are very few requirements. The whole process takes about an hour including pre-donation paperwork and a simple health check.  In some states you can donate as young as age 16. After reading this you might want to tell your friends and family about the urgent need for donors, or even try donating blood yourself.

Many people are hesitant to donate because they are unsure of what donating blood entails.  Here are some tips and information about being a donor for someone in need:

Requirements for a blood donor:

The American Red Cross has very few requirements for a potential donor:

• You must be in good health and feeling well
• You must be at least 16 years old in most states
• You must weigh at least 110 lbs.
• And you have not donated within the past 56 days

 Tips for first time donors:

• Keep your iron levels high. You can do this very easily by eating iron rich foods, taking an iron supplement, or even eating iron rich cereals.
• Stay calm. It is very easy to become nervous or anxious before or during your donation, but it is important to stay calm and breathe. It is important to stay calm and keep your heart rate at a steady pace. An easy way to calm yourself is to take long deep breaths to lower your heart rate and ease your mind.
• It is important to rest before and after your donation. The night before your donation, make sure you get a good night’s rest, and you will be good to go in the morning.
• You will want to prepare yourself by eating well before and after your donation. Many donors say that it is easy to become faint or dizzy if you are running on an empty stomach, but there is an easy fix for that, and it includes hydrating and nourishing your body.

The American Red Cross, a non-profit organization, was founded by Clara Barton in May of 1881. The American Red Cross is dedicated to serving people in need. In 1940, the American Red Cross developed the “first nationwide civilian blood program”, and even today they provide more than 40% of the United States of America’s blood products.