Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Due to high usage of O-Negative blood, the supply has reached extremely low levels.

Florida's Blood Centers are urging all O-Negative donors to donate as soon as possible, to help fight the low levels. The blood type is becoming rarer and rarer, as only 7 percent of the population has O-Negative blood.

The rare blood is critical for emergency surgeries, premature babies, and trauma patients, as the blood is the universal blood type. This means any patient can receive O-Negative blood, even if their own blood type is different.

O-Negative donors can donate at any Florida's Blood Centers location or on any Big Red Bus.

For more information or to make an appointment call 1-888-9DONATE or check locations at Florida's Blood Center

© 2012, Catholic Online. Distributed by NEWS CONSORTIUM.

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.