LifeShare Urges Blood Donations Ahead of July 4th Surge

LifeShare Blood Center is asking Texarkana and the surrounding community to make blood donation part of their summer plans, especially as the July 4th holiday approaches.

Need Goes Up, Supplies Go Down

Emergency rooms typically see a sharp rise in visits around Independence Day, with July 4th and 5th being the busiest days of the year, according to Pew Research Center. Many of these visits are due to fireworks injuries, which often require large amounts of blood products.

“Burn patients often need red blood cells and plasma over long periods,” said Dr. Tim Peterson, LifeShare’s Medical Director. “These products help maintain oxygen levels and support healing.”

Summer is also a difficult time for blood banks. Donations tend to drop during the summer fun season, even though demand goes up. Making things worse, blood has a short shelf life, red cells last just 42 days, and platelets only 5 to 7 days.

“We depend on daily donations to meet patient needs,” said Mandi Johnson, Director of Community Engagement. “There’s no substitute for real blood—it can’t be made or stored indefinitely.”

What Can You Do?

To help boost supplies, LifeShare will host its Summer Lifesaver campaign from June 25–28. All donors will receive a limited-edition t-shirt, a Summer Lifesaver insulated tumbler, and other prizes. There will also be free kids' activities to make donating easier for families.

Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome. For details or to schedule a donation, visit lifeshare.org/give or call 800-256-5433.

Full campaign details are available at lifeshare.org/summer.

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