DENVER — In the wake of the horrific shooting at an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Colorado Springs on Saturday night, blood donations are being sought to help the victims who survived the tragedy.
Whenever these things happen, it puts a strain on the blood supply that's there to help people who need it.
Vitalant sent around 70 additional units of blood and blood products to area hospitals in response to the shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs.
"Our hearts go out to the victims and their loved ones in this terrible tragedy," said Brooke Way, a spokeswoman for Vitalant. She added that Vitalant stands ready to provide additional blood products should they be requested.
"It’s the blood on the shelves, generously donated in the days and weeks prior, that helps save lives in an emergency," Way said.
Donations are needed every day.
Way said, "Those who want to do good in the wake of this horrible incident are encouraged to make an appointment to give blood in the coming days and weeks ahead to help ensure it is available for all types of emergencies and everyday patient needs."
Here's where you can sign up to donate blood in Colorado:
Vitalant
As one of the largest blood donor organizations in the United States, Vitalant has donation centers in Denver, Colorado Springs, Golden, Boulder, Grand Junction, Greeley, Littleton, Parker, Westminster and Highlands Ranch. Vitalant also holds regularly-occurring mobile locations and pop-up blood drives.
You can make an appointment at a Vitalant donation center or blood drive in Colorado or Cheyenne online at vitalant.org or by calling 877-25-VITAL.
Find the location nearest you by clicking here.
Children's Colorado
More than 95% of the more than 8,000 units of blood used each year at Children's Hospital Colorado comes from its Blood Donation Center. Children’s Colorado’s Blood Donor Center is located at the hospital on Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, on the first floor of the Administrative Pavilion
The hospital needs donors who represent all four blood types: O, A, B and AB and accepts whole blood donations and apheresis platelet donations.
Appointments to donate blood can be made by calling 720-777-5398.
UCHealth Garth Englund Blood Center
Blood donations at Fort Collins' UCHealth Garth Englund Blood Center support patients at multiple hospitals in northern Colorado: Poudre Valley Hospital, Medical Center of the Rockies, Greeley Hospital, Longs Peak Hospital, and Estes Park Medical Center.
Appointments can be scheduled online at uchealth.org or by calling 970-495-8965.
Mourning the victims of the Club Q nightclub shooting in Colorado Springs
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