Blood Donations Taking Ill-Timed Nosedive

There’s already a national blood shortage, but a lack of donations in the past month has put the country’s supply in critical condition and in need of donors for people who depend on lifesaving transfusions.

The American Red Cross, which provides 40% of the nation’s blood supply, announced Monday (Sept. 11) that donations were down 25% since early August. “Back-to-back months of worsening climate-driven disasters have further strained the blood supply, resulting in blood drive cancellations and reducing much-needed blood and platelet donations in affected areas,” the Red Cross says.

Low donor-turnout also has affected Miller-Keystone Blood Center, according to spokesperson Keith Vogrin. “Our inventory has taken a steep decline in recent days,” Vogrin says. “About 350 units of blood are needed every day in the 12 counties we serve, and 43,000 units are used each day in the U.S.”

Miller-Keystone, which has expanded its advertising efforts to attract donors, says all blood types, and platelets, are needed. The Red Cross says while donors of all blood types are urgently needed, there is an emergency need for platelet donors and type O blood donors.

Miller-Keystone Blood Center supplies most of the blood used at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) hospitals and also provides blood to 35 hospitals in eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey. It is part of America’s Blood Centers, which provides 60% of the nation’s blood supply. You can sign up online at Miller-Keystone to donate at a site near where you live or work at a day and time that works best for you.

LVHN has long partnered with Miller-Keystone on blood drives, and several drives are coming  up this fall at LVHN hospitals.

• Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg will host drives from 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on both Sept. 21 and Nov. 16.
• Lehigh Valley Hospital–Carbon will host a drive from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sept. 26.
• Lehigh Valley Hospital–Hazleton will host a drive from 2-7 p.m. on Nov. 21.

For these LVHN blood drives, sign up on Miller-Keystone's website, giveapint.org.