This year’s National Blood Donor Month comes as the nation’s blood supply has dropped to concerning levels and could force hospitals to delay essential blood and platelet transfusions. Every day, blood donors can help patients of all ages: who arrive in our Emergency Department due to accidents and burns, those who are undergoing surgery, or in need of blood transfusions due to an illness and/or disease. In fact, every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood.
The Need for Blood
To meet patient needs for blood and blood components, most Blood Centers require more than 2,000 donations from volunteer blood donors every week. Each year those donations are used to help more than 200,000 patients in their recovery from illness or injury.
Each donation of whole blood can be used to produce as many as four different products that can be transfused to patients. How can this be true you ask? After the donation, blood is separated into its components (red blood cells, platelets and plasma) and fourth product, cryoprecipitate, can be processed from the plasma.
Major Reasons Patients Need Blood
Cancer
Heart and blood vessel disease
Disease of the gastrointestinal tract
Emergencies such as car accidents and burns
General Guidelines for Blood Donation
Be in good general health and feeling well.
Be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent in Illinois).
Weigh at least 110 pounds. Additional weight requirements apply for donors 18 years old and younger and all high school donors.
Have not donated blood in the last 56 days.
For more information about blood donation or for assistance in scheduling an appointment, please contact Cora Hughes at (618) 332-5289 or go online to www.bloodcenter.org to learn more.
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About Touchette Regional Hospital
Touchette Regional Hospital has proudly served the communities of the metro-east for more than 60 years. We offer 24-hour Emergency Department, Intensive Care, Cardiopulmonary, Laboratory, Radiology, Medical Specialty Services, Transportation, Sleep Center, Physical Therapy, Senior Care Services, Start Now Breast Cancer Awareness Program, Home Healthcare, Special Needs Dentistry for children, and Behavioral Health (inpatient and outpatient). For more information, visit www.touchette.org.