December 31 is a Great Day to Give Blood!

The Red Cross Blood Donor Center at 1201 West River Parkway is open from 6:45am to 1:15pm on Friday, December 31.  Click here to make an appointment.

What is the most common blood type? According to AABB's website, the approximate distribution of blood types in the U.S. blood donor population is as follows:

 O Rh-positive - 39 percent
 O Rh-negative -  9 percent
 A Rh-positive - 31 percent
 A Rh-negative -  6 percent
 B Rh-positive -  9 percent
 B Rh-negative -  2 percent
AB Rh-positive -  3 percent
AB Rh-negative -  1 percent

Note: Distribution may be different for specific racial and ethnic groups and in different parts of the country.

In an emergency, anyone can receive type O red blood cells, and type AB individuals can receive red blood cells of any ABO type. Therefore, people with type O blood are known as “universal donors,” and those with type AB blood are known as “universal recipients.” In addition, AB plasma donors can give to all blood types.

January, 2011, is National Blood Donor Month. 

Update on Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at 10:55AM by David Tinjum

CORRECTION:  Kim called this morning to schedule an appointment and learned that, contrary to the info on their web site, the Red Cross Blood Donor Center will be closed on New Years Eve.  She'll try for next week, you can too.