HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — The Virginia Red Cross is sounding the alarm as its blood supply has dropped roughly 25% while demand has climbed, leaving hospitals in the region stretched and prompting a renewed appeal for donors.
Shortages amid summer travel and fewer collections
Jonathan McNamara, communications director for the Virginia Red Cross, said the organization has seen an unexpected gap between what hospitals need and what drives have produced. For one recent week, he said, hospitals required about 3,500 more units than the Red Cross had anticipated.
"It's an incredibly challenging journey for the Red Cross in terms of collecting blood," McNamara said.
Those shortfalls come at a time of year when travel and vacation schedules typically thin the pool of regular donors. McNamara emphasized that the need for blood does not pause for summer plans: people require transfusions every day for a range of conditions.
Who is affected
Hospitals use donated blood for many routine and emergency treatments. The Red Cross cited specific groups that rely on transfusions:
- Cancer patients undergoing treatment
- Mothers with complications after childbirth
- People living with sickle cell disease
McNamara reminded the public that donations can directly support neighbors and local families. "At the end of the day, this is about saving lives," he said, urging residents to schedule appointments.
What donors need to know
The Red Cross is running multiple local blood drives this coming weekend and asks healthy adults to give if they can. Donors typically spend less than an hour at an appointment, and eligibility rules and times are available at redcrossblood.org.
| Metric | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Decline in blood supply | 25% |
| Additional units required by hospitals in one week | 3,500 units |
Local hospitals work with the Red Cross to manage inventories, prioritize urgent needs and borrow from other regions when necessary. But those measures are limited: sustained shortfalls could force changes in scheduling for elective surgeries and other nonemergency procedures that use blood.
For readers in Hampton Roads who can donate, the Red Cross asks you to visit redcrossblood.org to find a nearby drive or make an appointment. Community participation remains the fastest way to refill local hospital shelves and keep routine care on schedule.
