You often here of a local blood drive here and there, and while some donate, many leave it up to the some. The pandemic further complicated blood donation, with people afraid to leave home.
The reality is more dire than you'd guess: Vitalant (formerly United Blood Services) has less than a 24-hour supply of Type O-Negative (the universal blood type) blood in Southern Nevada.
That is staggering, and in a city where the need is always there - be it with emergencies, accidents, regular transfusions and more... it needs to be addressed.
We spoke with Brittany Estrella with Vitalant to get a better idea of the need, and how we can help.
Speaking of helping, a Community Blood Drive is taking place this weekend, Saturday, April 3rd and Sunday, April 4th, at JW Marriott and Rampart Casino's Marquis Ballroom. Hours are 8am-5pm. You can pre-register at bloodhero.com or text "RAMPART" to 877-25-VITAL. You can also visit the site to find one of dozens of other scheduled blood drives in your local area.