THE SHOALS-While blood supplies in most of the Southeast are nearly back to normal, LifeSouth is asking donors to help those in the Northeast who are facing critical shortages brought on by blizzards and ice.
America’s Blood Centers, which monitors national blood supplies, reported more than a third of blood centers in the Northeast now have only a one to two day supply of blood, and 22 blood centers now have less than a one day supply. The weather related shortages stretch as far south as Kentucky, where many blood centers were unable to collect for three days, and in Huntsville and across North Alabama, where icy roads have drastically cut into donations.
“This is actually a national crisis, but it also offers us an opportunity,” said LifeSouth
J.B. Bowles
Vice President of Operations J.B. Bowles. “We’ve had tornadoes and hurricanes, and other blood centers have helped us. Now we have a chance to help.”
Donors must be at least 17, or 16 with parental permission, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in good health. A photo ID is also required.
“We’ve faced some cold weather, but we’ve been pretty fortunate,” Bowles said. “It has sharply impacted LifeSouth’s donations in North Alabama, where we supply nearly all of the blood to hospitals in and around Huntsville.”
According to Bowles, several LifeSouth’s blood drives were cancelled in North Alabama Monday, and donations dropped more than 80 percent on Monday and Tuesday.
For additional information call LifeSouth toll-free at 888-795-2707.
MEDIA RELEASE/Marquasha Carter/LifeSouth Community Blood Centers
