This month, in partnership with the National Football League (NFL), the Red Cross is celebrating our team of blood donors during National Blood Donor Month by automatically entering all presenting blood donors for a chance to win a trip to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona.*President Richard Nixon proclaimed January 1970 as the first National Blood Donor Month on December 31, 1969, as requested by Senate Joint Resolution 154, to pay tribute to voluntary blood donors and encourage new donors to join.

Just as Peyton Manning did for nearly 20 years on the football field, he is leading by example by rolling up his sleeve to help patients and asking others to do the same. “If everyone does their part, and we collectively commit to donating blood, we can stack up more wins for hospital patients who are counting on us. A single individual is certainly impactful, but a whole team of people coming together to donate has an even greater effect.”

Avoiding blood shortages means better care for patients and better outcomes

“Patients access to care means having a blood readily available on hospital shelves,” said Dr. Baia Lasky. “It’s important people don’t wait until there’s a crisis to give blood. One in 7 patients entering the hospital will need a blood transfusion, making it one of the most common hospital procedures in the U.S., yet only 3% of the public give.”

Unlike other treatments, blood cannot be stockpiled or manufactured—it can only come from volunteer blood donors. Blood products are not only vital in saving patients’ lives but instrumental in supporting other treatments like chemotherapy.

In fact, every minute about six blood products are needed to help someone going through cancer treatment. This is in part because chemotherapy and radiation, used to treat cancer, can damage the body’s ability to generate healthy blood cells and cause potentially life-threatening conditions. Blood and platelet transfusions from generous donors help to provide patients with critical clotting factors, proteins and antibodies needed to help their bodies fight back.

Step off the sidelines and get in the blood donation game to help score big for patients in need of lifesaving blood. Visit RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-Red Cross.

About Blood Donation

A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.