Red Cross Issues Emergency Call for Blood Donations

Are you at least 17 years old?

Do you weigh 110 pounds or more?

Healthy?

The American Red Cross needs your help.

The Red Cross has issued an emergency request for blood donations, stating in a press release that its "blood supply has reached emergency levels with 50,000 fewer donations than expected in June." The blood bank is stocked with about half the available blood it held this time last year.

Red Cross officials speculate that an earlier-than-normal spring season could have led to fewer than typical blood donations as regular donors transitioned into summer activities early and failed to schedule their blood and platelet donations.

Now, need exists for all blood types, but particularly for O Positive, O Negative, A Negative and B Negative blood.

The Red Cross hopes to collect 6,500 units of blood in the Massachusetts region throughout the next two weeks.

A few upcoming blood drives in the Burlington area include:

• Today: 1:30 to 7 p.m. at the , 162 Winn Street
• June 30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at  in Woburn
• July 2, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at , 41 Mall Road
• July 3, 1:30 to 7 p.m. at the , 162 Winn Street

A full list of blood drives is available on the Red Cross blood donation website.