National Blood Donor Month

Celebrated by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), American Blood Centers and the American Red Cross, National Blood Donor Month (NBDM) 2009 is focused on encouraging donors to give or pledge to give blood. The combination of holidays, travel schedules, inclement weather and illness traditionally results in a reduction in blood donations which can render the national supply critically low.

As stated on the AABB website, "Every day in our country, approximately 39,000 units of blood are required in hospitals and emergency treatment facilities for patients with cancer and other diseases, for organ transplant recipients, and to help save the lives of accident victims. Our goal is to help ensure that blood is available to patients whenever and wherever it is needed because it is the blood on the shelves that helps saves lives."

For more information regarding this health observance and blood donation eligibility, visit http://www.aabb.org/ . Celebrate NBDM with AABB by donating blood and encouraging others to do so as well.