UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and the American Red Cross today announced their national partnership during the 53rd National Blood Donor Month in January 2023, as an opportunity to recognize those across the country who regularly roll up their sleeves and help save lives.
In recognition of National Blood Donor Month, UFC and the American Red Cross will drive fans to their joint website, RedCross.org/UFC, to drive awareness and appointments to increase blood, platelets or plasma donations.
About every two seconds in the United States, blood is needed to respond to patient emergencies. Make an appointment to give blood by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCross.org/UFC, or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
“National Blood Donor Month comes at an important time, recent winter storms across the country canceled more than 300 Red Cross blood drives leaving nearly 9,000 units of blood and platelets uncollected,” said Rachel Flanigan, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Southern Nevada Chapter. “Fortunately, there is hope of ending this critical need for blood in our community, and across the country, with a simple act of kindness – donating blood.”
All blood types needed
It’s important that donors of all blood types − especially those with type O − give now to ensure hospitals have the blood they need through the end of the year. Type O negative is the universal blood type and is what emergency room personnel reach for in the most serious situations when there is not time to determine a patient’s blood type; and type O positive blood can be transfused to any positive blood type patient and is also critical in trauma situations.
UFC and the Red Cross have a history of working together on both the local and national levels to help raise awareness for patients to collect thousands of lifesaving blood donations. A blood donation takes about an hour from start to finish, but the actual donation itself only takes about 8-10 minutes.
The Red Cross supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood, and the only way to obtain transfusable blood is through donations, Flanigan said. “For as long as medicine has been around, we’ve had to rely on the generosity of others to give blood so it’s available when needed,” she said. “Any of us – our friends, family, neighbors – could be in an accident or become ill some day and need blood. Yet, in the U.S., where 62% of the population is eligible to give, only 3% does.”
January 2023 marks the 53rd celebration of National Blood Donor Month, which started in 1970 by a proclamation signed by President Richard Nixon as an observance meant to honor voluntary blood donors and to encourage more people to give blood at a time when more blood is needed.
As part of National Blood Donor Month, those who come to give blood, platelets or plasma between January 1 – 31, will be automatically entered to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona. This includes access to day-of, in-stadium pre-game activities, tickets to the official Super Bowl Experience, round-trip airfare to Phoenix, three-night hotel accommodations (Feb. 10-13, 2023), plus a $500 gift card for expenses. Visit RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl for details.
For more information, please visit RedCross.org/UFC.
