Nashville, TN — With the American Red Cross reporting only the second national blood crisis in its history, Ascension Saint Thomas is urging Middle Tennesseans to donate now so that lifesaving care remains available for patients across the region.
The shortage is affecting hospitals nationwide. Donations have fallen to a four-year summer low even as demand for transfusions holds steady. Ascension Saint Thomas, which relies on the Red Cross as its primary supplier of blood products, has already rescheduled some elective surgeries and could be forced to delay or cancel additional cases if the shortages continue — particularly of platelets.
Eligible donors of every blood type are encouraged to schedule an appointment as soon as possible, with an especially urgent need for type O. Donors who cannot find an immediate opening are asked to book one in the coming days or weeks to help rebuild the supply.
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West and Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown will host blood drives from 10:00am to 3:00pm on August 10th. Walk-in donors are welcome, or appointments can be made using the links above.
Blood products are used every day to treat trauma patients, support emergency and complex surgeries, and care for mothers facing childbirth complications. They are essential to patients with cancer and blood disorders such as sickle cell disease, and they play a critical role in organ transplants and heart procedures.
“Blood is one of the few medical resources that cannot be manufactured,” said Dr. Brian Wilcox, chief clinical officer for Ascension Saint Thomas. “Every unit transfused comes from someone who took the time to donate. Every day, our physicians and care teams depend on a stable blood supply to provide timely, lifesaving care. When that supply becomes limited, it can affect patients throughout our hospitals.”
The Red Cross announced a national blood and platelet shortage on July 13th, after the nation’s blood supply fell 25% in June. Extreme heat, poor air quality and widespread foodborne illnesses have all contributed to fewer donations this summer.
The need is most acute for type O. Type O positive has dropped below a one-day supply, prompting the Red Cross to limit distribution of certain products to hospitals. Because it can be transfused before a patient’s blood type is confirmed, type O is often the first choice in emergencies.
Platelets remain in critically short supply as well. With a shelf life of only five days, platelet inventories are especially vulnerable when donations drop, and nearly half of all platelet transfusions support patients undergoing cancer treatment.
“Blood is needed every two seconds somewhere in the United States,” Wilcox said. “Whether someone is recovering from a serious injury, undergoing surgery, or receiving cancer treatment, blood donors make those treatments possible. Donating blood is one of the most meaningful ways people can support the health of their community.”
The appeal comes as Ascension Saint Thomas deepens its investment in Clarksville. The system broke ground on June 16th, 2026, on a $148.5 million full-service hospital and integrated health campus near the intersection of Highway 76 and Interstate 24. The hospital will open with 44 inpatient beds, expandable to 132 as the community grows, and will offer emergency care, inpatient surgery, cardiology, neurosciences, women’s health, neonatal intensive care, oncology and orthopaedics. Projected to open in fall 2028 and expected to create roughly 250 jobs, the campus will expand local access to precisely the kind of surgical, maternity and cancer care that depends on a stable blood supply.
The Red Cross estimates that just three additional donors at every blood drive this summer could stabilize the nation’s supply and end the crisis. Appointments can be scheduled through the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, at RedCrossBlood.org, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1.800.733.2767). As a thank-you, donors who give during August will receive a $20 Amazon gift card by email from the Red Cross.
About Ascension Saint Thomas
Ascension Saint Thomas is a faith-based, non-profit health system with a 125-year history of delivering personalized care, with special attention to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.
The system includes 18 hospitals and 320 sites of care across 45 counties in Tennessee, including affiliated joint ventures, medical practices, clinics, and specialty facilities.
In Clarksville, the system broke ground in June 2026 on a $148.5 million full-service hospital and integrated health campus near Highway 76 and Interstate 24. The facility will open with 44 beds and expand access to emergency, surgical, maternity and cancer care across Montgomery County.
With more than 13,000 associates, Ascension Saint Thomas provides individually tailored, patient-centered care to millions of individuals annually.
It is part of Ascension, one of the nation’s leading non-profit and faith-based health systems, with approximately 99,000 associates, 23,000 aligned providers, and 121 hospitals. In fiscal year 2024, Ascension provided $2.1 billion in care for people in need and other community benefit programs. Visit ascension.org.
