A volunteer gives blood during an American Red Cross blood drive in August. The Red Cross and other organizations across Indiana are asking donors to sign up and give blood this month as the country faces an emergency shortage. SUBMITTED PHOTO BY THE AMERICAN RED CROSS
Every ounce of blood helps.
Across Indiana, and the country in general, hospitals are facing a shortage of available blood. Supplies of certain types have been decimated, while stores of all types of blood are dwindling.
Without the requisite supply of blood, doctors throughout Indiana and around the United States are limited in the lifesaving medical procedures they can perform.
“We always say, it’s the blood on the shelf today that will be needed for the tragedy or the trauma or the surgery,” said Penny Schroeder, area vice president for Versiti Blood Center of Indiana. “We have to have the blood on the shelf today, because doctors are going to have to make decisions about who gets transfused today. They’ll have to make some very, very tough decisions because they don’t have the blood that’s needed.”
The number of people donating blood has dropped to a 20-year low, prompting an emergency blood shortage, according to the American Red Cross. Officials are urging people to take time this January to make a donation, helping alleviate the shortage and saving people’s lives.
“Every two seconds in the United States, someone is in need of blood — whether that’s a routine transfusion to combat forms of cancer or other illnesses, or someone who has been in a very traumatic injury and needs an emergency transfusion,” said Matthew Kline, regional communications manager for the American Red Cross in Indiana. “It’s one of those things where it doesn’t take a lot to come out and donate, but for a lot of people, it’s not at top-of-mind.”
Health officials have been facing a declining supply of blood for years. Over the past two decades, the number of people donating blood to the Red Cross has fallen by about 40%.
Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood About 36,000 units of red blood cells, 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma are needed every day in the country, according to the American Red Cross.
Blood donations are key to treating patients who have been in an accident and are burn victims, as well as those having heart surgery or organ transplants, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.
As fewer people donate blood, even small disruptions to the blood supply can have dramatic consequences for those patients.
“One of the most distressing situations for a doctor is to have a hospital full of patients and an empty blood bank without any blood on the shelves. Doctors often can’t operate without blood available to make surgeries, medical procedures and treatments possible,” said Dr. Eric Gehrie, executive physician director for the Red Cross.
Between Christmas and New Year’s Day, the Red Cross reported a nearly 7,000-unit shortfall in donations to meet need. Blood products are currently going to hospitals faster than blood donations are coming in, and in recent weeks, the Red Cross has had to limit distributions of type O blood products — among the most transfused blood types — to hospitals.
“More challenges lie ahead as the potential for severe winter weather and seasonal illness may compound the dire blood supply situation,” Gehrie said. “Donors of all types — especially those with type O blood and those giving platelets — are urged to give now.”
At Versiti Blood Center of Indiana, the situation is just as dire. The center supplies blood services, blood products and specialty services, provides assistance to more than 60 hospitals across the state.
In particular, the need is greatest in O-positive and O-negative blood types.
“With the holidays, and illnesses going around, it really does put strain on the blood supply,” Schroeder said.
Versiti blood drive events are scheduled at Franciscan Health at Stones Crossing and Greenwood Masonic Lodge No. 514 in January, and Center Grove Education Service Center in February.
People can also donate at Versiti Blood Center’s Greenwood location, which is open seven days a week for appointments.
“We know everybody is busy, but we ask folks to think about putting blood donation on their list,” Schroeder said. “A person can donate every 56 days, but even if people say, I’ll donate once a quarter, that’s a great improvement to ensure we have blood on the shelves.”
To entice donors to make an appointment to give blood, the Red Cross has partnered with the National Football League on a special promotion. Those who give blood, platelets or plasma in January will automatically be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
A number of donation events are planned throughout Johnson County in coming weeks, including events at the White River and Clark-Pleasant library branches, Community Church of Greenwood and Franklin Masonic Lodge.
“Every year around this time, from Thanksgiving through New Year’s and into the winter, we see a dip in donations,” Kline said. “But we’re seeing a bigger dip this time around leading to the shortage, so we’re reaching out to anyone who is eligible to donate to do just that.”
AT A GLANCE
Johnson County blood donation events
American Red Cross of Indiana
Jan. 16: noon-4 p.m., Johnson County Public Library White River branch, 1664 Library Blvd., Greenwood
Jan. 18: 1-6 p.m., Community Church of Greenwood, 1477 W. Main St.
Jan. 26: 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Johnson County Public Library Clark Pleasant branch, 350 Clearwater Blvd., Whiteland
Jan. 27: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Franklin Lodge No. 107, 801 S. Main St.
Jan. 30: 11 a.m.-5 p.m., St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church, 102. E. Broadway St., Greenwood
To make appointments, to to RedCrossBlood.org or call (800) 733-2767.
Versiti Blood Center of Indiana
Jan. 27: 8 a.m.-noon, Greenwood Masonic Lodge No. 514, 529 N. Meridian St., Greenwood
Jan. 29: 8-10:30 a.m., Franciscan Health at Stones Crossing, 1703 W. Stones Crossing Road, Greenwood
Feb. 7: 1:30-6 p.m., Center Grove Innovation Center, 2797 Trojan Lane, Greenwood
Greenwood Donor Center, 8739 S. U.S. 31, Indianapolis; 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 6 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday and Sunday, 6 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday.
To make an appointment, go to versiti.org/blood-donation-locations or call (317) 888-5017
