Red Cross tries to avoid critical shortage in blood supply

Sandy Wiebusch of Kasson estimates she’s given blood about 70 times. And there isn’t anything holding her back from donating again in the future, she said.
Wiebusch is next scheduled to give blood on July 22 at Grace Methodist Church in Kasson.
“I just love helping other people,” she said. “And that’s the main reason I donate.”
When asked if she encourages others to donate blood, she quickly responds, “Absolutely, yes.”
Blaire Schewe, communications relations coordinator at Prairie Meadows Senior Living in Kasson, said she has put up flyers all over the facility and hopes to see about 30 people at the blood draw. Prairie Meadows is co-hosting the July 22 event with Grace Methodist Church.
“There’s a shortage of blood,” Schewe said. “If you have 40 to 50 donors at each drive, you can save a lot of lives. And if you hold three or four drives a year you can save hundreds of lives.”
“In fact, each unit of blood can save up to three local lives,” she said.
Awareness is the key to saving lives, Schewe said. The July 22 blood drive is open to the community and Schewe said she hopes attendees will become regular blood donors.
“Blood is needed everywhere,” she said.