This is your chance to win a ticket to a Twins game

Last week Memorial Blood Centers announced a blood emergency due to the long-term effects of lower donation numbers.

“There’s a nationwide shortage,” said Kathy Geist, Senior Executive Director. “We currently have only a 3-day supply of blood to offer to more than 30 local hospitals. The long-term impact of the pandemic has meant we’ve had a year of virtually no high school or college first-time donors, and 41 percent fewer donors between the ages of 17-24.”

In addition to this dramatic drop in blood donors over the past 15 months, there has recently been a surge in blood usage as hospitals perform surgeries and patients seek medical care that was postponed during the pandemic. The increased need and significant decrease in donations have created a chronic gap in blood donations locally and nationally.

Geist continued, “As our region reopens, we are increasing our outreach efforts to raise awareness and encourage those who have not donated since before the pandemic to return to donating blood.”

Memorial Blood Centers invites all eligible donors to step up and give blood. Donating blood takes less than an hour and costs nothing.

As thanks for the generous gift of blood during this time of need, all presenting donors in June will be entered in daily drawings for Twins tickets.