Blood donations make an immediate impact and are especially critical during the summer months, with numerous blood drives available

WHO: Providence St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton is joining forces with the American Red Cross for a blood drive to ensure our nation’s blood supply flows steadily. Providence St. Jude Medical Center staff will be available for interviews, alongside Red Cross representatives and local donors whose stories highlight the urgent need for blood in our community.

Dr. Sandhya John, triple board-certified pathologist with Providence St. Jude Medical Center, will be on hand and can explain the reasons for the shortages, the danger blood shortages create for community hospitals/patients, and what people can do to help.

WHAT: The American Red Cross has declared its second-ever national blood supply crisis after blood donations fell to a four-year summer low. The shortage has limited distributions of type O blood to hospitals, forcing some patients to wait for the blood they desperately need. To address the shortage, Providence St. Jude Medical Center and the American Red Cross are hosting an emergency community blood drive.

The event will bring together healthcare leaders, staff, volunteers and community members to help replenish supplies and ensure that lifesaving care is available when it’s needed most.

 WHEN: Tuesday, August 4, 2026, blood drive runs from 11am – 4 pm.

 WHERE: Providence St. Jude Medical Center, 101 E Valencia Mesa Dr, Fullerton, CA 92835. At Erickson Education Center (black mirrored building)

 WHY: Blood donations are not keeping pace with hospital demand, which increases during the summer trauma season. Currently, the Red Cross, the nation’s largest single provider of blood products, has less than a one-day national supply of type O positive blood, the most commonly transfused blood type. Without immediate donations, doctors face devastating choices about who can receive care.