Donate blood please, Champaign-Urbana

Current blood supply is critically low. If you are a human with blood and meet the donor requirements (which were updated this year to be more inclusive), please donate blood.

The Urbana blood donation center says:

ImpactLife is seeing very low inventory levels and critical need for type O red blood cells, type B-positive red blood cells, and platelets. With type O-negative and type O-positive red blood cells at less than a 1-day supply and type B-positive at a 3-day supply, our donor scheduling team is urgently working to fill appointment schedules and improve inventory levels for these critically needed blood types.

• O-positive: less than 1-day supply – CRITICAL NEED
• O-negative: less than 1-day supply – CRITICAL NEED
• A-positive: more than 7-day supply
• A-negative: 4-day supply
• B-positive: 3-day supply – CRITICAL NEED
• B-negative: 4-day supply
• AB-positive: more than 7-day supply
• AB-negative: more than 7-day supply

Just last week, I gave blood at the Urbana blood donation center on University Avenue. I’m scared of needles, but I still did it. I made my appointment online, parked at the center, chatted with a nurse who pricked my finger, and then sat in a reclining chair for the blood draw.

I thought it would hurt way more than it did, and I didn’t even see the needle because I stared out the window the whole time. The center was nice, and the chairs were comfortable. The whole process took just under an hour, and it was not all that scary. If my weeny self can do it, you can, too!

All blood donated at Impact on University Avenue goes to patients at Carle Hospital, OSF, and other area hospitals. Those patients are our neighbors, and they need blood to literally live. If you aren’t having a shitty day in the hospital (and you meet donor eligibility), please donate blood. I know you got an extra pint of blood. If you spare an hour and some blood, you’d be a hero.

Book an appointment here.

ImpactLife
1408 W University Ave
Urbana
M 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
T-Th 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
F 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sa 7:30 a.m. to noon
Su 7 to 11 a.m.