LifeServe Blood Center is urging all eligible blood donors to schedule a donation as soon as possible to ensure patients and hospitals have access to the blood products they need to save lives. Throughout spring, LifeServe saw an alarming drop in blood donations, which has led to concerns about the blood supply at local hospitals as we enter the summer and “trauma season.” LifeServe supplies blood to more than 170 hospitals, so donating blood with LifeServe is how to ensure your blood stays in your community to treat local patients.

“The need for blood donations does not go away during the summer months, and hospital patients don’t get a summer break or vacation,” said Tim Paluch, LifeServe Director of PR & Marketing. “And right now, the blood supply is already being impacted by a drop in donations in recent weeks and months.”

Every two seconds, someone’s life relies on a blood transfusion. Just one donation can save or impact up to three local lives.

“A few minutes in a chair with a needle in your arm has the potential to save a life, to keep a family together, to keep a child healthy enough to receive cancer treatment,” Paluch said. “That’s a powerful act that you can take right now in your community.”

Increasing donations in the next few weeks will be critical to ensuring the local blood supply remains strong this summer. To help with this, LifeServe Blood Center is hosting Blood Donor Days throughout the month of June. Throughout the month of June, LifeServe blood donors at any mobile drive or donor center will not only walk away from donating knowing they saved or impacted up to three lives, but they'll also get an exclusive Blood Donor Days summer t-shirt and be automatically entered to win a weekly summer-themed prize package. Those donors can also enter to win our grand prize: two lucky donors will each win a pair of 4-day passes to Hinterland Music Festival, happening July 30-August 2 in St. Charles, Iowa, and featuring music acts like Katseye, Lorde, Mumford & Sons, and more.

In addition, anyone who gives blood at a LifeServe donor center in June will get a special custom-made scratch-off ticket with a chance to score gift cards and more from local businesses who donated prizes to LifeServe to help refresh the community blood supply.

You can learn more about Blood Donor Days and schedule your next blood donation at lifeserve.info/donorvibes. LifeServe Blood Center is a non-profit, community-based blood center that has served the needs of local hospitals and patients in our regions since 1947. As one of the 15 largest blood centers in the country, LifeServe provides blood products to more than 175 hospitals primarily in Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska and Illinois. LifeServe is committed to saving lives by providing premier service to volunteer blood donors and access to a safe, quality blood supply for hospitals and patients. Your donation with LifeServe will help save your neighbor, a friend or family member, or a stranger on the street. YOU make a difference in YOUR community. For more information about blood donation or to schedule an appointment to donate blood, call 800.287.4903 or visit lifeservebloodcenter.org.