When the American Red Cross announced they were facing a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center stepped up to the challenge.

“Whenever there is an emergency or some sort of crisis, people just want to help,” said Sharon Jones, associate director of community relations and co-chair of the Medical Center’s blood drive committee. “We knew that if we were able to pull together an emergency blood drive, people would show up.”

And show up they did. Within hours of announcing the March 26 blood drive, all appointment slots were filled. Not wanting to turn away potential donors, Jones and her co-chair Kelli Barbato, worked quickly to schedule a one-day drive the first week of April and a five-day drive later in the month. They were overwhelmed by the response.

“I’ve been coordinating our blood drives for 25 years and I’ve never seen our schedule fill up as quickly as it did,” said Jones.

Between the two drives, the Red Cross collected 349 units of blood – potentially saving the lives of more than 1,000 people in the Greater Chesapeake and Potomac Region.

“It never ceases to amaze me how generous people are, and donating blood is probably the easiest and most selfless thing to do in times like these,” Jones said.

Johns Hopkins Bayview will host its next American Red Cross blood drives June 17-19, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Asthma & Allergy Center (5501 Hopkins Bayview Circle, Baltimore, MD 21224). All participants will receive a parking coupon and special gift. To schedule a life-saving donation, call 410-550-0289 or visit hopkinsmedicine.org/jhbmc/blooddrives.