American Red Cross Offers Free A1C Testing to Blood Donors in November
The American Red Cross says that in November, National Diabetes Awareness Month, successful blood donations will once again come with free A1C testing, which is commonly used to screen for prediabetes and diabetes. Donors receive one result per calendar year, and they should not fast before donating.
The Red Cross is urging donors of all blood types, especially type O, to give blood or platelets to keep the blood supply steady ahead of the holiday rush. Appointments can be made through RedCrossBlood.org, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or through the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
As a thank-you, everyone who comes to give between October 19 and November 22 can receive up to $20 in gift cards: a $10 Amazon gift card by email, plus 500 bonus points that can be redeemed for a $10 e-gift card through Blood Donor Rewards.
According to the Red Cross, since it began offering A1C testing in March 2025, more than 1.3 million donors have received their A1C status, and more than 250,000 of them were notified that their result was high. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 8.7 million people in the United States have diabetes and do not know it.
Under Red Cross rules, people who are 17 years old in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate; a donor card, driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.
American Red Cross donation announcement
(Source: American Red Cross)
Source: American Red Cross
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 献血现场（资料图）。美国空军照片，Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Alder 摄，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / A blood donation site (file photo). U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Alder, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
