NCDHHS Secretary, State Health Director to Donate Blood Monday, Celebrating Expanded Eligibility for Donations

The American Red Cross begins accepting donations Monday, Aug. 7, from newly eligible individuals, many in the LGBTQ+ community, under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded eligibility recommendations. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley will be donating blood under these rules in Raleigh on Monday. State Health Director and NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, M.D., will also be donating blood.

Secretary Kinsley and Dr. Tilson led an effort, joined by nine other states and the District of Columbia, calling on the FDA to update this policy.

The American Red Cross collects, processes and distributes about 40% of the nation’s blood supply, and with the constant need for donations, Secretary Kinsley and Dr. Tilson encourage all North Carolinians, and those newly eligible to donate, to be regular blood donors. NCDHHS is partnering with EqualityNC, Harmony and the LGBT Center of Raleigh to invite those in Raleigh and surrounding areas to register for Monday’s event and give blood alongside them.

Adopting these new recommendations is the best way to ensure there is a safe and robust supply of blood. Blood must be donated from another person and cannot be manufactured. Donations help accident victims, people with blood disorders and cancer patients. Each donation can help save more than one life.

Those who wish to donate can register for Monday’s event at rdcrss.org/3sfzwf6 and use sponsor code: DonateNC. To find other dates and locations across the state, schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

What: American Red Cross Blood Donation Event

Who: Kody H. Kinsley, Secretary, NCDHHS
Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, M.D., State Health Director, NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer

When: Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Secretary Kinsley and Dr. Tilson will donate at 1:30 p.m.

Where: Raleigh Red Cross Blood Donation Center
100 N Peartree Lane 
Raleigh, NC 27610

Media: Media is invited to attend the event. Secretary Kinsley and Dr. Tilson will be available before donating. The suggested arrival time is 12:55 p.m., with media availability beginning at 1:10 p.m. Please be mindful of other donors and their privacy.