Blood drive cancelations cause shortage

More than 400 American Red Cross blood donation services have been cancelled this month due to recent winter storms and freezing temperatures.

This resulted in nearly 12,000 uncollected blood and platelet donations
nationwide.

“You can’t manufacture blood,” said Lindsay English, the communications manager of the River Valley Blood Services Region, a chapter which provides work for the ARC.

“It’s challenging to regular donors this time of year when the weather can change priorities.”

The ARC, which has provided relief for all types of emergency since 1881, experienced similar issues in the recent past.

English said although supply is dropping, demand is constant.

The ARC faced shortages in blood supply following severe weather in 2011, resulting in the lowest supply seen in more than a decade, according to its website.

More drastic shortages were seen during the summer of 2012, causing the ARC to make a call for urgent need. Their response in every crisis has been the same.

“We’re asking for people to make an effort,” English said.

The donation centers, including the one in Bloomington, are still open even in inclement weather.

“College campuses make a big difference,” English said.

Most of the mobile donation stations the local ARC Blood Donation Center sends out are parked on campus in locations such as Ashton Residence Center and between the Indiana Memorial Union and Ballantine Hall.

The ARC even offers ongoing programs and incentives from sponsors.

“We like to take care of our donors,” English said.

Despite these efforts, English said the overall donor population is decreasing and a large percentage of it is aging.

A lot of the older and more regular donors with military experience give blood to the ARC to give back to the organization that once provided them with relief overseas, English said.

“We’re trying to get an increasing number of younger donors involved,” English said.    

English said most of those eligible to donate their blood simply don’t do it.
The website lists donor qualifications, she said.

The ARC estimates that although about 38 percent of the population is eligible to donate blood, the donors make up less than 10 percent of the total population.

It needs about 15,000 pints of blood per day to serve 2,700 hospitals and transfusion centers.

The River Valley region — which constitutes 68 counties including Monroe County — requires almost 400 pints of blood a day, English said.

While the ARC has the ability to transport blood from one center to another, bare stock shelves can have severe consequences.

“Routine surgeries may have to be moved to another day when the blood is there,” English said.

“But if the surgery is an emergency and there isn’t enough blood for the patient, then things can get pretty bad.”

Blood donations are also required for patients with sickle cell anemia or cancer, as well as victims of car accidents.

To schedule a donation appointment or to learn more about blood donation, including qualifications, statistics and processes go to redcross.org.

The local ARC blood donation center is located at 1600 W. Third St. and can be contacted at 812-331-1300.