Red Cross seeks donations during Sickle Cell Awareness Month

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The American Red Cross wants to remind you that September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month and the organization is actively seeking donors to meet the needs of those with sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. The disorder affects more than 100,000 people across the nation, most of whom are African American.

The disease distorts soft, round blood cells and turns them hard and crescent-shaped –resembling a sickle — which can cause severe pain. The misshaped blood cells can get caught in blood vessels, potentially leading to stroke and organ failure, said Rod Tolbert, CEO of the American Red Cross South Carolina Region.

While regular blood transfusions can manage the extreme pain and life-threatening complications faced by those with sickle cell disease, some may develop an immune response against blood from donors that is not closely matched to their own. That is the reason the Red Cross is seeking blood donations from the African American community. 

According to the Red Cross, most individuals who are Black have unique structures on their red blood cells that are not often found in other donor populations, 1 in 3 African American blood donors is a match for people with sickle cell disease. 

In addition to taking donations, the Red Cross is screening all blood, platelet and plasma donations from self-identified African American donors for the sickle cell trait. This additional screening will provide Black donors with an additional health insight and help the Red Cross identify compatible blood types more quickly to help patients with sickle cell disease. Donors can expect to receive sickle cell trait screening results, if applicable, within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App and the online donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.

To donate blood, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. 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.

There are donor opportunities scheduled throughout South Carolina through September 30, including:

Barnwell: 9/13/2022: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Energy Solutions, 740 Osborn Rd

• 9/8/2022: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Leesville United Methodist Church, 510 E. Columbia Ave.
• 9/20/2022: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Circle Fire Department, 3321 Columbia Hwy

• 9/20/2022: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Kershaw County School District Office, 2029 W. DeKalb Street
• 10/5/2022: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Camden High School, 1022 Ehrenclou Dr.

Cayce: 9/18/2022: 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., Broadacres Baptist Church, 2350 Taylor Rd.

Chapin: 9/19/2022: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., American Legion Chapin Post 193 Inc., 102 Lexington Avenue

• 9/7/2022: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Lexington County Public Library, 6251 St. Andrews Road
• 9/7/2022: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Student Lounge – USC School of Medicine, 6311 Garners Ferry Road
• 9/7/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/8/2022: 9:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/9/2022: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/9/2022: 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Radiate Church, 105 Sparkleberry Crossing
• 9/10/2022: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/10/2022: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Target, 10204 Two Notch Road
• 9/11/2022: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/11/2022: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Ashland UMC, 2600 Ashland Road
• 9/12/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/13/2022: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Katie & Irwin Kahn Jewish Community Center, 306 Flora Dr
• 9/13/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/14/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., University of South Carolina- College of Nursing, 1601 Greene Street
• 9/14/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/15/2022: 9:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/15/2022: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Blue Cross Blue Shield, 2401 Faraway Drive
• 9/15/2022: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., The Brook, 8328 Parklane Rd
• 9/15/2022: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, 6952 St. Andrews Road
• 9/16/2022: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/16/2022: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Rice Creek Elementary School S.A.I.L, 4751 Hardscrabble Road
• 9/17/2022: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/18/2022: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/19/2022: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Blue Cross Blue Shield GBA, 17 Technology Circle
• 9/19/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/20/2022: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Bill Rogers Community Connections Center, 4900 Broad River Road
• 9/20/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/21/2022: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., American Red Cross, 2751 Bull Street
• 9/21/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/21/2022: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., First Presbyterian Church Columbia, 1400 Lady Street
• 9/21/2022: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 4440 Ft. Jackson Blvd.
• 9/22/2022: 9:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/22/2022: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Blue Cross Blue Shield, 4101 Percival Road
• 9/22/2022: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Columbia College, 1300 Columbia College Drive
• 9/23/2022: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/23/2022: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., St. Andrews Park, 920 Beatty Rd
• 9/24/2022: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/25/2022: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/26/2022: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Columbia International University, 7435 Monticello Road
• 9/26/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/27/2022: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Benedict College, 1600 Harden Street
• 9/27/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/28/2022: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Columbia Family Chiropractic, 224 Oneil Ct, #21
• 9/28/2022: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Prisma Health Richland Medical Center, 3301 Harden Street
• 9/28/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/28/2022: 2:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Red Cross, 2751 Bull Street
• 9/29/2022: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Ridge View High School, 4801 Hardscrabble Road
• 9/29/2022: 9:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/30/2022: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Columbia Blood Donation Center, 2751 Bull St
• 9/30/2022: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Columbiana Center, 100 Columbiana Circle
• 10/6/2022: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Prisma Health Parkridge, 400 Parkridge Drive
• 10/7/2022: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Lexington Medical Center Irmo, 7035 St. Andrews Rd.

Denmark: 9/14/2022: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Denmark Technical College/ Samuel L. Faust Building, 500 Soloman Blatt Blvd.

• 9/7/2022: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Elgin Library, 2652 Main Street
• 9/13/2022: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Bridge Creek Elementary School, 121 Bombing Range Road
• 9/15/2022: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Thunder Tower Harley Davidson, 190 Pontiac Center Drive

Gilbert: 9/26/2022: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Gilbert First Baptist Church, 441 Lewie Street

• 9/13/2022: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Salem United Methodist Church, 1321 Salem Church Road
• 9/14/2022: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., River Springs Church, 1007 West Shady Grove Rd.
• 9/21/2022: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Faith Church – Irmo, 1811 Dutch Fork Rd
• 9/26/2022: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., New Hope Lutheran Church, 1725 Old Tamah Rd.

• 9/22/2022: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Cedar Grove Lutheran Church, 1220 Cedar Grove Road
• 10/3/2022: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Fire Dept., 431 East Church St.

• 9/11/2022: 11:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Lake Murray Baptist Church, 1001 Highway 378 West
• 9/12/2022: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Lexington United Methodist Church, 309 East Main St.
• 9/14/2022: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Town of Lexington, 111 Maiden Lane
• 9/16/2022: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., 14 Carrot Whole Foods, 5300 Sunset Blvd
• 9/16/2022: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., SC State VFW Headquarters, 210 Glassmaster Road
• 9/19/2022: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Lexington Main Library, 5440 Augusta Rd
• 9/26/2022: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Red Bank Baptist Church, 1357 South Lake Drive
• 9/29/2022: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Lexington Medical Center Lexington, 811 West Main St.
• 9/29/2022: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Peter’s Parrish Life Center, 1130 St. Peter’s Road
• 9/30/2022: 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 1430 North Lake Dr.
• 10/2/2022: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Pisgah Lutheran Church, 1350 Pisgah Church Rd
• 10/3/2022: 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church, 5503 Sunset Blvd.
• 10/5/2022: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 119 North Church Street
• 10/6/2022: 3 p.m. – 8 p.m., Lexington Presbyterian Church, 246 Barr Rd.

• 9/13/2022: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., First Baptist Newberry, 1020 Boundary St
• 9/28/2022: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Newberry Community Blood Drive, 981 First St.

Orangeburg: 9/15/2022: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., South Carolina State University, 300 College Street NE

• 9/22/2022: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 211 Alice Drive
• 9/22/2022: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Grace Baptist Church, 219 West Calhoun St.

Winnsboro: 9/19/2022: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church of Winnsboro, 109 College street