By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
The American Red Cross has been attracting thousands of new blood donors through a partnership with the mobile gaming brand Tetris.
The partners are making blood donations fun, while celebrating the 40th anniversary of the groundbreaking game.
Starting May 20 and ending June 9, blood donors can receive an exclusive Tetris x Red Cross T-shirt while they last, and will be entered into a draw to win a trip for two to New York City, and meet Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov.
“The Red Cross is thrilled to partner with a brand as iconic as Tetris to encourage the public to give blood, said Darren Irby, executive director of donors and sponsor marketing for the American Red Cross. “The cross-generational appeal of Tetris makes it a ‘perfect fit’ for us in helping to reach audiences young and more mature to encourage them to take action and roll-up a sleeve to help save lives.”
The event also marks National Trauma Awareness Month in May, which serves as a reminder that life is unpredictable, and accidents happen every day, some of which require trips to the hospital and lifesaving blood transfusions.
“Blood types, like Tetriminos, are not all the same and can’t all be used interchangeably,” the Red Cross points out. “For patients in need of lifesaving blood transfusions having the right blood product available, when they need it, is critical to their health. This couldn’t be truer for patients in need of emergency blood transfusions.”
The Red Cross is particularly looking for Type O blood donors. That type is routinely in short supply and in high demand by hospitals, both because it is the most common blood type and because type O negative blood is the universal blood type needed for emergency transfusions.
Blood cannot be manufactured and has a short shelf life, which means that the nation’s blood supply must be constantly replenished. Receiving the wrong blood type can be life-threatening, the Red Cross explains, so it’s critical to have a robust and dedicated blood donor base to help ensure hospitals’ shelves are well stocked. For that, the nation’s hospitals rely on the generosity of millions of blood donors, as blood transfusions are needed in the United States every two seconds to help accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer, sickle cell disease and other chronic illnesses.
While the giveaway ends on June 9, you can still donate blood any time, so while you may not receive a gift after that date, someone in the United States will receive the gift of life.