The American Red Cross of Nebraska is helping to bridge access to health care for blood donors by providing free A1C testing, commonly used to screen for diabetes and prediabetes, on all successful blood, platelet and plasma donations in March.
One-third of people lack access to regular primary care in the U.S., where diabetes affects 1 in 10 people and nearly a quarter of those living with it have been undiagnosed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The free A1C screening aims to help address this gap by empowering blood donors with valuable information to maintain their health and well-being.This new offering is among the longtime work of the Red Cross to support the health of communities, which also includes disaster relief efforts such as basic disaster health and mental health services.
Visit RedCrossBlood.org, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App or call 1-800-RED CROSS to book a time to give in March and learn more about your health. Donors can expect to receive the results of their test within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor App or online donor portal, and they are encouraged to consult their health care provider if their A1C level is elevated. Additionally, all who come to give blood, platelets or plasma March 1-31 will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. See RedCrossBlood.org/ March for details on both offers. You can also make a financial donation at redcross. org/GivingDay on March 26.
