Austin blood bank urges summer donations
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
Austin's We Are Blood says it's weathering this summer's donation slump better than many regions, but blood bank officials are still asking residents to roll up their sleeves.
Why it matters: The U.S. blood supply has reached crisis levels, prompting the American Red Cross and the Surgeon General to urge Americans to donate before shortages delay surgeries, trauma care and other lifesaving treatments.
- The Red Cross says it has "less than a one-day national supply of type O positive blood," which is the most commonly transfused blood type. Due to the shortage, the organization is limiting distribution of type O blood to hospitals.
Driving the news: Blood donations nationally fell to a four-year summer low in 2026, the Red Cross said on Monday.
- Current supply is not keeping up with the demand for blood, which increases during the summer, the Red Cross says.
- The Red Cross attributes the low turnout of donations to extreme heat, bad air quality and "widespread foodborne illnesses" hitting the country.
What they're saying: Centers across the country, including at Austin's blood bank We Are Blood, are "especially vulnerable during the summer months," according to Nicholas Canedo, vice president of community engagement at We Are Blood.
- "That's typically because while the need for patients remains consistent throughout the year, donations and blood drives tend to dip in these times," Canedo tells Axios.
Zoom in: Austin area donations have dipped as they do every summer, but We Are Blood has maintained "a pretty adequate supply," Canedo says.
- "Thankfully, the need that we're experiencing is really isolated to O negative," Canedo says, meaning they have a two-day supply of the blood type versus the preferred 3-4 days.
- "The steady donations coming in just become a lot more unreliable because of how unavailable folks are during the summer months," Canedo adds.
How it works: Find the nearest clinic or blood drive on the We Are Blood website and schedule an appointment.