Versiti Blood Center of Indiana is calling for donors amid an emergency appeal as the blood supply hits critically low levels.
Summer donations are lower than usual, with some blood types having under a day’s worth of availability. If blood is not available for patients, their health and safety is at risk. The shortage has local impact, as Versiti is the primary blood provider for more than 95 Indiana hospitals, including Columbus Regional Hospital.
“There’s no alternative to this,” said Dr. Dan Waxman, vice president of transfusion medicine and senior medical director at Versiti. Waxman said that blood donation is the only way to get blood to patients who need it.
“It is safe to donate blood,” Waxman said. For people who are unsure about donating, he emphasized that donation is safe, and that the process only takes around an hour, from start to finish, and the donor only spends around 10 minutes in the chair. Waxman also stressed the importance of eating prior to donation, as well as being hydrated. Versiti provides snacks and refreshments following donation.
In addition to these safeguards, the volunteer’s blood level is tested prior to donation, and staff checks in with them to make sure they are feeling well and that their blood is safe to use.
“If you donated blood before, please come back. We need you now more than ever,” he said, mentioning the recipient could be someone you will never meet, or it could be your neighbor.
“You’re going to save people’s lives,” he said.
The Red Cross announced a decrease in blood donors from late spring, and although it has yet to impact supply, Sarah Moss, executive director of the Red Cross Central Chapter, said that summer months are always a struggle.
Moss said that regular donors are busy, and other potential donors may think they are not eligible to give blood.
“About 62% of the population is eligible,” said Moss. However, only 3% of the eligible population does donate.
“Blood is a perishable product,” said Moss, noting it has a shelf life of about 42 days.
Moss states that all blood types are needed, but would like to especially encourage donors who have O blood. O blood is extremely useful in trauma situations, as O-negative can be safely transferred to any patient, and O+ is the most common type.
“That’s the first thing doctors are going to reach for,” said Moss.
If someone is unable to donate blood themselves, they can still help by looking into sponsoring a drive, hosting a drive, coordinating a drive, and looking into a number of volunteer opportunities to encourage donors.
