Inova in critical need of type O donors

Donate blood with Inova this summer and be a lifeline for those in need.

The summer months are always a difficult season for blood collection and often result in critically low inventory.  Currently at Inova, a surge in cardiac patients in need of blood has exhausted our reserves and there is a pressing need for donors, especially those with O+ blood.

All blood types are needed, but Type O+ is the most urgent need at this time and will help the most patients. Currently, we have a one-day supply of Type O+ blood.

If you are eligible to donate, please make an appointment or walk-in to an Inova Blood Donor Center today to give blood. From now until August 6, O+ donors will receive a $10 gift card as a special thank you.

Inova Blood Donor Services supports all five Inova hospitals, as well as 13 other hospitals in the region. Our three donor centers in Northern Virginia are open 7 days a week.

If you are unable to visit a donor center, Inova has several blood drives in the coming weeks.

• Saturday, Aug. 3: Stratford Recreation Association, For Hunt, VA
• Wednesday, Aug. 7: Loudoun County Fire and Rescue, Leesburg, VA
• Wednesday, Aug. 7: Fair Lakes Shopping Center, Fairfax, VA
• Thursday, Aug. 8: Burke Volunteer Fire Department, Burke, VA

Find a blood drive close to you.

Facts about giving blood

At age 16, with parental consent, you can begin donating blood. There is no age limit, as long as you feel healthy.

Donor eligibility has been updated in recent months with fewer restrictions based on sexual orientation and among people who previously resided in Europe – view comprehensive eligibility list

It only takes about 60 minutes from start to finish to donate – that includes completing the Donor History Questionnaire, a mini-physical, donating and then getting a snack after donating.

Donors are eligible to donate whole blood every 56 days.

A safe and adequate blood supply is necessary to support patients who face critical traumas, are undergoing aggressive cancer treatment, organ transplants, difficult labor and delivery/postpartum hemorrhagic shock, heart surgery, gastrointestinal bleeds, and other medical conditions.

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About Inova                                                              

We are Inova, Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area’s leading nonprofit healthcare provider. With expertise and compassion, we partner with our patients to help them stay healthy. We treat illness, heal injury and look at a patient’s whole health to help them flourish. Through our expansive network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers, and outpatient services, Inova provides care for more than one million unique patients every year.  Total patient visits exceed four million annually, demonstrating our ability to deliver the best clinical care and ensuring a seamless experience for all who rely on us for their healthcare needs. Consistently ranked and recognized as a national healthcare leader in safety, quality and patient experience, Inova’s world-class care is made possible by the strength and breadth of our network, our 24,000 team members, our technology and our innovation. Inova is home to Northern Virginia’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and provides high-quality healthcare to every person in every community we are privileged to serve – regardless of ability to pay – every day of their life. More information about Inova can be found at www.inova.org.