News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The holiday season typically means blood supplies are at some of the lowest levels of the year.
Blood Assurance Media Relations Coordinator Brooke Katz said blood donations tend to drop, but demand for blood increases. Katz saids traumatic incidents happen more often during the holiday season. Katz said as of now hospitals across Middle Tennessee have an extremely short supply.
“Often times we are looking at a day’s supply or less,” Katz said. “The thing with that is you don’t really know. One trauma patient may use a unit of blood or they could use 100 units of blood so that’s why it’s so important that you be as prepared as possible.”
Katz said people forget about donating blood during these two holiday weeks. Katz said she strongly encourages people to donate blood this holiday season as saving someone’s life can be the best Christmas gift anyone could ever give.
“Think about the impact that you are making you are literally giving life to another person,” Katz said. “You are not just impacting that one person, you are impacting all the people who love and care about that person. I can’t think of anything better than giving somebody the gift of life.”
Katz said O-negative is the most desired as the blood type can be used with other blood types.
“There is a turnaround with it,” Katz said. “It’s about 24-48 hours by the time you donate to send the blood off for testing just to make sure it’s safe and get it to the hospitals. You think about it in terms of Christmas, we are closed for Christmas but the need doesn’t stop just because we are not able to collect that day.”
