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Blood Drives Aim to Boost Blood Supply at Critical Time
Local blood bank urgently needs donors to fill the annual “holiday gap”.
CLARE, MI: To keep local blood supplies strong during the holiday season, Michigan Community Blood Centers invites the public to give blood at community blood drives in Clare on December 28 at Brown Corners Church (Noon to 6 p.m.), 5540 S. Clare Avenue; and on December 31 at MidMichigan Medical Center Medical Offices, 602 Beech Street, in the Kindel Conference Room (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.).
“Every three seconds, someone needs blood – every day of the year, even around holiday times when blood donors typically are in very short supply,” said Carol Wackerly, Michigan Community Blood Centers recruiter. “Everyone is busier during the holiday season, making this the hardest time of year to collect enough blood. So we really hope people in the Clare area will take just a little time to donate blood at either our December 28 drive or the December 31 drive, knowing that they will be helping keep up the blood supply to local hospitals.”
Michigan Community Blood Centers provides 100 percent of the regular blood supply to all hospitals in this area, including MidMichigan Medical Center-Clare. Across the state, the Michigan Community Blood Centers provides the entire blood supply for hospitals in three major regions with a combined population of about 1.5 million.
“Our top priority is always making sure local hospitals have all the blood they need,” Wackerly said. “Also, after all local needs have been met, we regularly share blood with other communities that need it across the state and nation, through the National Blood Exchange system.”
While many people assume more blood may be needed around the holidays because of an increase in travel-related accidents, according to Wackerly the demand for blood extends far beyond trauma care.
“The truth is, the need for blood is continual, year round,” said Wackerly. “Blood is used not just to care for trauma victims, but also for surgical patients and for people with many other medical conditions, chronic illnesses, and diseases such as leukemia and other types of cancer. Most of these needs are not accident-related. The need for blood just never takes a holiday.”
Any healthy person 17 or older who weighs at least 110 pounds may be eligible to give blood every 56 days. For more information on blood donation and community blood drives in the Clare area, interested people can visit Michigan Community Blood Centers on line at www.miblood.org, or call toll-free 1-866-MIBLOOD.
© Michigan Community Blood Centers
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