Red Cross opens Cincinnati center for blood, platelet donations

Cincinnati residents now have a new way to make a lifesaving impact. The American Red Cross will open a Blood and Platelet Donation Center at 2111 Dana Avenue on Sept. 3.

This marks the first time donors can give platelets with the Red Cross in Cincinnati, per the organization. 

Platelets are the clotting portion of blood and are needed for many reasons, but they are primarily given to cancer patients. These tiny cells have a very short shelf life – just five days from the time they are donated – so there is a constant, often critical, need for donations to keep up with demand, according to the he Greater Cincinnati Tri-State Chapter of the American Red Cross wrote in a statement.

The Red Cross is the nation’s largest supplier of blood, collecting, processing and distributing about 40% of the country’s blood supply.

“Donating blood is essential to community health, and volunteer donors are the only source of blood for those in need. By making an appointment to give blood or platelets at the Cincinnati Donation Center, donors can feel good knowing that they may be helping patients not only in their community, but also their family and friends across the nation,” the local chapter added.

Donor incentives and scheduling

The new center in Evanston will be open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 7:15 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., closed Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays.

Those who donate from Sept. 3 through Oct. 1 will receive an exclusive Red Cross large waxed canvas tote while supplies last. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the comic “Peanuts,” donors at any Red Cross blood drive from Aug. 29 through Sept. 21 will receive a mystery bag with one of four special T-shirt designs.

Beyond its newest center, the Red Cross continues to hold blood drives across the Tri-State region. Donors can also schedule appointments through the American Red Cross Blood Donor app or RedCrossBlood.org. They can also dial 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Eligible donors are generally healthy individuals who are at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and meet certain height and weight requirements for younger donors. A blood donor card or government-issued ID is required. 

Red Cross Cincinnati