The Great Chicago Blood Drive will take place January 14th and 15th. ABC 7 is teaming up with the American Red Cross to provide six convenient donation locations, across two days.
According to the Red Cross, about 62% of Americans are eligible to donate blood. But each year, but only about 3% of those who are eligible actually do so. At the same time, every two seconds, someone in the US needs blood or platelets.
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“In the state of Illinois, anyone who’s 17 years and older can donate blood, provided they clear a donor health screening questionnaire. They’ll also be checked routinely for their height, weight and vital signs. And the reason for this is that blood donation is usually a relatively flat amount. It’s about half a liter, about a pint of blood. And so, you need to weigh at least 110 pounds to safely donate,” said Dr. Timothy Carll, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago.
But there are some reasons why people can’t give blood.
READ MORE | 2026 Great Chicago Blood Drive kicks off in January | Sign up to donate
“Patients who are living with transmissible viral illnesses such as hepatitis and HIV currently cannot donate blood in the United States. In addition, depending on your medication or travel history it’s possible you could be temporarily deferred,” Carll said.
The Great Chicago Blood Drive will take place January 14th and 15th.
Jerry Johnson is living with sickle cell disease; a blood disorder that requires him to get periodic blood transfusions.
“Basically it’s a blood disorder where the red blood cells are shaped in a moon crescent shape. And as they pass through joints and every part of your body they can become stuck in places and then create pain,” Johnson said.
He was diagnosed as a child and says he’s had more than 100 transfusions over the years.
“Blood transfusions help to actually kind of push that blood flow through…it just really helps to build your capacity to deal with things,” he says sickle cell disease can take away a person’s energy.
To sign up for the 2026 Great Chicago Blood Drive, click here.
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