Flower Mound residents can donate blood Wednesday, Sept. 2, without leaving town when Carter BloodCare's donor bus parks at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on Long Prairie Road. The drive runs from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 4400 Long Prairie Road, hosted by the hospital.
The timing matters. The American Red Cross declared a national blood supply crisis on July 27, only the second such declaration in the organization's history, after donations fell to a four-year summer low. The agency reported less than a one-day national supply of type O positive blood, the most commonly transfused type. Chris Hrouda, president of Red Cross Biomedical Services, said July 29 that "blood donations simply are not keeping pace with hospital demand" and that inventories, especially type O blood, remain under significant strain.
The Red Cross attributed the shortage to extreme heat, poor air quality and widespread foodborne illnesses dampening donor turnout during the summer months when trauma-related demand spikes. According to The Guardian, roughly 62% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate, but only 3% do so each year. The Red Cross said just three additional donors at each drive this summer could stabilize the supply.
Carter BloodCare is a separate regional blood center serving North Texas hospitals, but the national shortage underscores why local drives matter. The organization encourages eligible donors to give blood to support patients needing treatment for surgeries, trauma care and other emergencies.
A second area drive follows Friday, Sept. 11, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Denton County EMS District 1 Training Room, 511 Gibbons Road South in Argyle, hosted by Denton County ESD No. 1. That location has hosted Carter BloodCare drives in previous years. Contact Megan Reynolds at 940-368-7711 for details, or schedule through greatpartners.org.
Upcoming community dates:
- Wednesday, Sept. 2 — Carter BloodCare drive, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, 4400 Long Prairie Road, Flower Mound, 7 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 11 — Carter BloodCare drive, Denton County EMS District 1 Training Room, 511 Gibbons Road South, Argyle, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
