The American Red Cross of Mississippi is offering a new benefit for donating blood – enabling donors to give to those in need while also checking in on their own health.
During March, all successful blood, platelet, and plasma donors will be provided free A1C testing, which is commonly used to screen for diabetes and prediabetes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of people lack access to regular primary care in the U.S., whereas diabetes affects 1 in 10 people. An estimated 25% of those living with diabetes have been undiagnosed.
The new A1C screening “aims to help address this gap by empowering blood donors with valuable information to maintain their health and well-being,” a portion of a Red Cross statement reads.
“Type 2 diabetes develops over years and may not cause obvious symptoms until serious damage has been done,” said Dr. Courtney Lawrence, medical director for the Red Cross. “By understanding our own health, we can create a foundation to help prevent chronic illness, improve the quality of day-to-day living and save lives. Blood donation can now be part of that journey.”
A1C screening from the Red Cross will begin March 1 and run through the end of the month. Results from the screening will be available within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App or the online donor portal.
Red Cross blood donors can already access health markers like pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, and hemoglobin levels when giving blood, and now, they will be able to check their A1C levels as well.
