By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - It doesn't take much time and can impact many lives.
Currently the Great Lakes Region of the American Red Cross is experiencing a critical shortage of blood.
The Great Lake Region has joined forces with regions nationwide urging Americans to go out and donate blood.
Without blood on its shelves the Red Cross cannot ensure that hospitals will have the blood they need to treat all patients.
According to the American Red Cross, the Great Lakes Region has about a 48 hour overall supply of all blood, and critically low levels of several types including types O-negative and O-positive.
A three-day or 72 hours supply is considered to be a safe level for providing for the ongoing and emergency needs of patients in the Great Lakes Region.
The optimal supply would be five to seven days, for the nearly 80 hospitals served by the region.
Persons with the blood types, O-negative, A-negative, O-positive and B-negative are encouraged to donate in the next two weeks.
The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will visit Niles on Friday, July 8, from noon to 5:45 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church at 12 S. Fourth St., Niles. The goal is 65 units
Donors should expect the process to take at least one hour. There will be bracelets available to all donors, and T-shirts will be given to the first 25 donors.