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Emmerson Winfrey
SHARE is hosting a blood drive February 26 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. in the East cafeteria, following the American Red Cross’s declaration of the first-ever national blood crisis on January 11.
According to the American Red Cross, 68% of blood centers in the nation have under a three-day supply of blood — the minimum needed to meet demand. Partnering with the Community Blood Center, SHARE is hosting the blood drive in hopes to aid the shortage.
SHARE Program Coordinator Erin Billingsley believes that bringing East together to donate blood is an easy way to make a difference and is hopeful for high participation.
“There really is a need for it, and [donating blood] is not that hard,” Billingsley said. “It’s something where you can make a difference, and it’s really not as scary as it sounds.”
To sign up to donate at SHARE’s blood drive go to savealifenow.org/group and enter group code ED8R.
The country has seen a 10% decrease of people donating blood since the onset of COVID-19, according to the American Red Cross. Outreach and Communications Coordinator at Community Blood Center Chelsey Smith agrees, believing that the blood shortage has occurred due to people being hesitant to get out and donate due to COVID-19.
“We 100% know that the blood shortage we’ve been in is a direct result of the pandemic,” Smith said. “Donations drop significantly when COVID cases rise, resulting in a pretty crippling blood shortage.”
In past years, Community Blood Center usually kept a seven-day supply of blood on the shelf at all times. But since the start of the pandemic, they haven’t exceeded a five-day supply. With their current three-to-four-day supply being well below what is necessary, they aren’t able to provide as much blood to hospitals as needed.
The amount of blood given to hospitals had to be limited based on the size, the type of patients they treat and how much blood they normally need. Typically, hospitals will have standing orders with Community Blood Center to keep their shelves stocked and then they’ll get stat orders which are emergent for things like traumas.
“Right now, we are not able to fill our standing orders in full,” Smith said. “We are giving hospitals what they need as they need it, so there is a delay in getting blood to our hospitals.”
As the blood shortage continues, local hospitals are struggling to keep up their necessary blood inventory. Children’s Mercy’s blood bank has met with every unit of their hospital that uses blood to create a contingency plan if they’re ever unable to supply the blood that unit needs according to Gabriel Metzler, the Clinical Lab Supervisor at the blood bank.
For instance, in Children’s Mercy’s NICU they have certain parameters at which they need to transfuse. When one of their patients hemoglobin drops to a certain level that’s how they know they need to give them a transfusion. So, one of the things they’re doing if the hospital is low on blood is decreasing that parameter.
Hospitals have to depend on community members to donate in order to meet their demand for blood. Unfortunately, as COVID-19 spreads, the number of healthy citizens who are willing to donate continues to drop as well as the number of blood drives being held, according to Metzler.
“Every hospital in the city uses blood for their patients,” Metzler said. “And it’s just important for everyone to know that that blood has to come from somebody somewhere, so we rely on our healthy community members to donate that blood.”
In order to bring in new donors, some blood banks are offering incentives to donors. In the month of January, the American Red Cross gave everyone who donated blood the chance to enter to win a trip to Superbowl LVI. They were also able to win a $500 e-gift card as well as a home theater.
Some businesses are also giving away things to those who come in after donating blood. From January 24 to Jan. 31, Krispy Kreme gave away a free dozen glazed donuts to those that came by a participating store and showed proof of donation.
“In the month of January, we offered Chiefs T-shirts for all donors that [came] in and donated,” Smith said. “Then, we do offer certain incentives as the year goes on. T-shirts, gift cards, things like that to try and get you in the door.”
SHARE is also giving away free T-shirts to those who come to the blood drive. Besides free T-shirts, they’re making plans to spread the word — their main strategy to get people to come donate.
“We’re gonna send emails, posters, yard signs, we’re gonna try to loop in the Shawnee Mission Post and get it on their calendar,” Billingsley said. “It’s really just about awareness, so people show up.”
To be eligible to donate blood, you must be 16 years or older. If you are 16, you must have a parent’s consent. Additionally, you must weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, provide a photo I.D. or some form of identification with first name, last name and signature and be eight weeks out from your last blood donation. Donors must also be in good health at time of the donation and should wait 10 days to donate after testing positive for COVID-19.
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