Blood Donation Campaign Targets Black Community

Blood Donation Campaign Targets Black Community: While high rates of sickle cell anemia and lupus prevail in the black community, often requiring blood transfusions, experts say African Americans currently donate less than one percent of the country's blood supply.

It's a shortage advocates are calling on African-American lawmakers to help turn around, seeking their help to recruit more blood donors from the black community.

In Illinois, the Coalition of Community Blood Centers and the General Assembly's Black Caucus have launched a campaign called "Make Every Drop Count," an effort to raise awareness about the need for blood donations among blacks, the Chicago Tribune reports.