American Red Cross Hosts Indianapolis Motor Speedway Blood Drives
Give blood and help trauma patients
Give blood and help trauma patients
Donated blood is a lifesaving gift most healthy people can give. The community is encouraged to donate blood to help those who have been seriously injured and need blood products to help them recover. It’s the blood already on the shelves that helps save lives.
The Red Cross and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway encourage donors to come out to donate at the Red Cross office located at 1510 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis (Fortune Family Building, Rooms 129 and 130) from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on the dates listed below:
All donors will receive entrance to Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Garage Pass for the day. Valid Saturday, May 20, and Sunday, May 21.
To make an appointment, please call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter: IndyCar.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES retired driver and blood recipient James Hinchcliffe has been a supporter of these blood drives. In 2015, Hinchcliffe suffered severe injuries after a crash during practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He needed 22 pints of blood to survive, about twice an average person’s blood volume. His experience led him to realize how vital the selfless act of donating blood is.
Every day, the American Red Cross must collect about 12,000 blood donations to meet the needs of trauma patients and others with serious medical conditions. While all blood types are needed, type O negative donors are especially important. Because it is the universal blood type and can be transfused to patients of any blood type, type O negative blood is what emergency personnel reach for when there is no time to determine the blood type of patients in the most serious situations.
You can also make an appointment or learn more by (downloading the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Completion of a RapidPass® online
health history questionnaire is encouraged to help speed up the donation process. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App. 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.
About the American Red Cross Indiana Region:
The American Red Cross of Indiana Region serves 6.9 million people in 104 counties in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio through its six chapters:
Central, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, and Greater Indianapolis (Regional Headquarters). The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit us at Redcross.org/Indiana or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @indianaredcross.