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Les Neri: Rally behind caring police, and speak up for ‘depressed communities’ they serve

Maybe a carving knife slips. Maybe an extension ladder tips.Perhaps your bicycle flips, sending your bare leg and flailing palms on a painful slide across the asphalt.You need blood. And lots of it.Quickly.The American Red Cross and other providers of blood products strive to keep the life-sustaining fluid at the ready for all types of hospital emergencies &#8211; from vehicle crashes to premature births &#8211; as well as more predictable, but no less vital, medical procedures.This month in particular, they need your help.The Red Cross on July 5 issued &#8220;an emergency appeal&#8221; for donations of all blood types.&#8220;Right now, Red Cross blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in,&#8221; according to the organization&#8217;s news release. &#8220;Blood donations have fallen short of hospital needs for the past few months, resulting in about 39,000 fewer donations than what&#8217;s needed.&#8221;Contributions of blood products, including platelets and plasma, typically nosedive during the summer. That&#8217;s partly because schools, colleges and other popular donor sites are either closed or operating with skeleton crews. Plus, vacations and other seasonal activities &#8211; reunions, picnics and outdoor sports &#8211; interfere with regular donors&#8217; schedules. Nevertheless, demand for blood components by cancer patients, transplant patients and others continues.Hospital staffers in this region carefully monitor blood supplies and, if necessary, take action to stretch what remains on the shelves. For example, doctors can postpone elective surgeries.But you don&#8217;t always get to choose when you need blood.In those desperate situations, isn&#8217;t it good to know that a generous person took the time to donate?If you are 17 or older, and of good health, do your part this summer. Learn about the blood-donation process and schedule a visit to the nearest mobile drive or donation center.<style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta>Become a donor&#8226; American Red Cross. Visit <a href="http://www.redcrossblood.org/" target="_blank">redcrossblood.org.</a> Or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).&#8226; Geisinger Blood Center. Go to <a href="http://www.geisingerbloodcenter.org/" target="_blank">geisingerbloodcenter.org.</a>&#8254;These are among the Red Cross-scheduled events set for July in our area:Thursday, 1-6 p.m. Greenwood Hose Co., 3727 Birney Ave., Moosic.Friday, noon to 5 p.m., Wyoming Valley Motors, 126 Narrows Road (Route 11), Larksville.July 21, 1-6 p.m., Dallas American Legion, 730 Memorial Highway, Dallas.July 22, noon-5 p.m., Thomas P. Saxton Medical Pavilion, 468 Northampton St., Edwardsville.July 23, 4-8 p.m. Red Cross Day at PNC Field, 235 Montage Mountain Road, Moosic.</factboxMeta></div>

Our Opinion: Your blood donation this summer critical to smooth operation of hospitals