Social Networking for Blood Donors

Hospitals rely on blood donations for life saving efforts every day. However, there comes a time when a patient has a rare blood type — and the hospital is unable to stock enough of that particular blood. Organizations such as the Red Cross have made it an effort to notify the public when there is a shortage of certain blood types. Now, an organization is turning to the social network to get blood donors.

That’s where Takes All Types (TAT), a non-profit organization, comes in. Users install their just-released Facebook application, tell it their location and blood type, and say how often they are willing to be contacted to donate blood (maximum is every 57 days). If a shortage occurs, they’ll contact you via the methods that you authorize (Facebook, email, text message, etc.)

Link: A Facebook Application To Find Blood Donors

The concept is great. However I am not sure people will trust the organization. Most people only know of two organizations that handle blood donations: The American Red Cross and United Blood Services.

In order to donate blood, donors need to provide sensitive information — such as their social security number. I won’t give my SSN to just anyone — I need to trust the people.

This idea could work — but it needs the support of either The American Red Cross or United Blood Services.

Justin