CLEVELAND — The American Red Cross, Cleveland Clinic, and Anheuser-Busch are set to host a pair of blood drives at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in May. The first is scheduled for Thursday, May 14 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
A second blood drive will be held on Thursday, May 28, also from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Healthy individuals who are feeling well are asked to make an appointment to donate by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, and entering code “OneTeam”; using the Red Cross Blood Donor App; calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.
Free parking is available on East 6th and the Gateway Sports Complex. Enter through the Cleveland Cliff’s entrance at the corner of Huron & East 6th.
Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive and are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance.
According to the Red Cross, each of its blood drive and donation centers follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including social distancing and face masks for donors and staff – have been implemented to ensure the health of Red Cross donors, employees and volunteers.
As COVID-19 continues to affect everyday life, people may not be thinking about blood donation. But blood and platelets are needed daily to help patients battling disease and facing the unexpected. Donating blood is an easy way to care for each other and ensure hospitals have the blood products patients rely on.
All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.