Mayo Clinic celebrates World Blood Donor Day

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – June 14 is World Blood Donor Day and Mayo Clinic is honoring those who have already donated and encourages those who are considering blood donation.

The Plummer Building will be illuminated with red lights on the Tuesday night to celebrate World Blood Donor Day.

The day is designed to raise awareness of the need for safe blood around the world, to thank and honor those blood donors who make transfusion possible, and to encourage healthy, eligible individuals to give blood regularly.

According to Mayo Clinic, someone in Olmsted County needs a blood transfusion every 10 minutes, so every single donation makes a difference in our community.

In Olmsted County, blood is needed to care for people with cancer and other diseases, organ transplant recipients, and to help save the lives of accident and trauma victims.

Mayo Clinic states that one unit of blood can save up to three lives.

As additional donor restrictions are implemented and our population ages, the pool of willing donors could decline, threatening the local and global blood supply.

Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center encourages healthy, eligible area residents 16-years-old or older to celebrate this important day by making an appointment.

Call 507-284-4475 to make an appointment to donate or to learn more about blood donation. Same day appointments are available.

There are two Mayo Clinic donation sites: