Many people need blood transfusions. According to the Red Cross, a single car accident victim may require up to 100 pints of blood. Individuals with sickle cell anemia or cancer require frequent blood transfusions. Because of the wide variety of blood types, O- blood is important for avoiding compatibility issues with rarer blood types. Unfortunately, this high demand along with the high number of type O individuals in the world means that type O blood is often short in supply. Blood donations allow hospitals to keep blood in stock to assist as many patients as possible.

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