During Trauma Awareness Month in May, the American Red Cross urges eligible donors to help ensure lifesaving blood is available for patients with traumatic injuries and other serious medical needs by donating blood or platelets.

According to the National Trauma Institute, trauma accounts for approximately 41 million emergency department visits and 2.3 million hospital admissions in the U.S. annually.

“A single car accident victim can need as many as 100 units of blood,” said Patty Corvaia, communications manager, New York-Penn Red Cross Blood Services. “In trauma situations, when there’s no time to check a patient’s blood type, emergency personnel reach for type O negative red blood cells and type AB plasma.”

O negative red blood cells and AB plasma can be transfused into any patient, regardless of blood type, making donors with these universal blood types an important part of the Red Cross trauma team. Less than 7 percent of the population has type O negative blood, and only about 4 percent of the population has type AB blood.

Platelets may also be needed to help with clotting in cases of massive bleeding. Because platelets must be transfused within five days of donation, there is a constant – often critical – need to keep up with hospital demand.

“As a trauma surgeon, I know that a readily available blood supply can mean the difference between life and death for patients in the most serious situations,” said Dr. Gregory J. Jurkovich, board chair, National Trauma Institute; fellow, American College of Surgeons; and professor and vice chairman, Department of Surgery, University of California Davis Health. “Blood products can only be provided by generous donors, so I urge you to roll up a sleeve and help save lives.”

In 2014, donated blood helped save Ethan Moser’s life after his personal watercraft collided with the boat carrying his family. He suffered massive blood loss due to a severed femoral artery and other serious injuries. Moser received 160 transfusions of blood and blood products.

While his recovery continues, Moser remains grateful to the generous donors who provided the blood he received. “I’m here simply because there was enough blood available to replenish what I lost,” he said. “You never know when an accident’s going to happen, so please donate today to be sure blood is available for those who will need it.”

Blood and platelet donors of all types are currently needed. Those who come out to donate blood or platelets by May 14 will have a chance to win one of three $1,000 gift card shopping sprees from GiftCertificates.com. Donation appointments can be scheduled by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Liverpool Blood Donation Center

7359 Oswego Road Liverpool, NY 13090

11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday

7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday to Sunday

Madison County

• 5/18/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., Brookfield Central School, 1910 Fairground Road, Brookfield
• 5/2/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Canastota Veterans of Foreign Wars, 3835 Canal Road, Canastota
• 5/15/2017: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Community Action Program for Madison County, 1001 New Market Drive, Canastota
• 5/4/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 27 Albany St., Cazenovia
• 5/11/2017: 12:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., St Patrick’s Church, 1341 Murray Drive, Chittenango
• 5/19/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., De Ruyter High School, 711 Railroad St., De Ruyter
• 5/3/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 27 Broad St., Hamilton
• 5/31/2017: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Madison Marketplace Price Chopper, 1050 Madison Marketplace, Hamilton
• 5/23/2017: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Madison High School, 7303 Route 20, Madison
• 5/16/2017: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Crouse Community Center, 101 South St., Morrisville
• 5/5/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Munnsville Fire Department, 5210 S. Main St., Munnsville
• 5/11/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Walmart, 2024 Genesee St., Oneida
• 5/13/2017: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., St Paul’s United Methodist Church, 551 Sayles St., Oneida
• 5/22/2017: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Holy Cross Academy, 4020 Barrington Road, Oneida
• 5/25/2017: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Oneida Baptist Church, 242 Main St., Oneida

Onondaga County

• 5/5/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Belgium Cold Springs Fire Department 1, 7920 W. River Road, Baldwinsville 
• 5/30/2017: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Moyers Corners Fire Department Station 1, 8481 Oswego Road – Route 57, Baldwinsville
• 5/11/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Sacred Heart Church, 8229 S. Main St., Cicero
• 5/25/2017: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., American Legion Post 787, 5575 Legionnaire Drive, Cicero
• 5/30/2017: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church, 8396 Morgan Road, Clay
• 5/5/2017: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Hematology-Oncology Associates, 5008 Brittonfield Parkway, East Syracuse
• 5/9/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., First United Church, 823 Franklin Park Drive, East Syracuse
• 5/11/2017: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 5000 Brittonfield Parkway, 5000 Brittonfield Parkway, East Syracuse
• 5/15/2017: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., East Syracuse Free Library, 4990 James St., East Syracuse
• 5/24/2017: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., East Syracuse Minoa High School, 6400 Fremont Road, East Syracuse
• 5/2/2017: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Northeast Medical Center, 4000 Medical Center Drive, (off Burdick), Fayetteville
• 5/16/2017: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., New Testament Baptist Church, 1235 Old Stonehouse Road, Jamesville
• 5/8/2017: 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Nate Perry Elementary, 7053 Buckley Road, Liverpool
• 5/16/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Hunt Real Estate ERA, 8196 Oswego Road, Liverpool
• 5/10/2017: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Manlius Village Center, One Arkie Albanese Ave., Manlius
• 5/18/2017: 2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., St Anns Church, 104 Academy St., Manlius
• 5/27/2017: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Marcellus United Methodist Church, 1 Slocombe Ave., Marcellus
• 5/2/2017: 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., North Syracuse Education Association, 210 S. Main St., North Syracuse
• 5/19/2017: 4 p.m. – 8 p.m., St. Rose of Lima – School Cafeteria, 407 S. Main St., North Syracuse
• 5/6/2017: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Skaneateles Fire Department, 77 W. Genesee St., Skaneateles
• 5/19/2017: 3 p.m. – 7 p.m., Borodino Fire Department, 2500 Nunnery Road, Skaneateles

City of Syracuse

5/2/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., SUNY, Upstate University Hospital, Community Campus, Broad Road

5/3/2017: 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., SUNY, Upstate University Hospital, Community Campus, Broad Road

5/6/2017: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Pebble Hill Presbyterian Church, 5299 Jamesville Road

5/17/2017: 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Syracuse University Maxwell School, Center for Policy Research, 426 Eggers Hall

5/20/2017: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Destiny USA, 1 Carousel Center Drive

5/24/2017: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Natur-Tyme, 3160 Erie Boulevard East

5/26/2017: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Galleries, 441 S. Salina St.

5/26/2017: 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., St Joseph’s Hospital and Health Center, 301 Prospect Ave.

5/30/2017: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Crouse Hospital Marley Education Center, 765 Irving Ave.

5/30/2017: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists, 5719 Widewaters Parkway

5/31/2017: 7 a.m. – 1 p.m., Crouse Hospital Marley Education Center, 765 Irving Ave.