Andy Close
LANDER, Pa. – With the blood shortage at “critical levels,” the Community Blood Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania and Southwestern New York is stressing the importance of donating.
Despite a strong turnout during a blood drive at the Lander Volunteer Fire Department on Monday, CBB staffers say even more donations are needed to boost blood supplies.
“It’s unbelievably important,” said Community Blood Bank Mobile Drive Coordinator Kathy Hastings. “This community, they back us 100 percent. This is an amazing community here in Lander. The small communities really come together. When I call them or put the word out, they show up.”
The current shortage was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the summer season typically means hospitals are in greater need of blood.
“We’ve never recovered since COVID,” Hastings said. “Also, the hospitals are needing more. Summer is a bad time. Accidents happen and people tend to do surgeries more in the summer because they’re off.”
The CBB, based in Erie, is committed to connecting donors to patients who are in need of life-sustaining blood products in the local communities they serve. But those blood products are in short supply.
“We’re at less than a day’s supply of blood; we have nothing,” Hastings said. “(Type) O we need desperately, but besides that, we’re in critical shape for every blood type. Normally you want several days’ worth of blood. We supply 19 medivacs and 12 hospitals, so you need several days’ supply. It’s scary.”
One of the most important things, Hastings said, is getting the word out about upcoming blood drives.
“Tell someone,” she said. “It’s less than two percent of the population that donates. We’ve figured out that if everybody that gives donated at least twice a year, you would never have a shortage. We have our loyals all the time, but we don’t have enough. It’s hard.”
There is another drive in Warren on Tuesday (July 19) at Holy Redeemer Church from noon – 5:30 p.m.
“There’s no substitute for blood,” Hastings said. “We have to rely on our donors. We have to get the word out. Word of mouth is huge. I’ve gone to drives where they didn’t really support it and you don’t see that many. Just getting the word out is so important.”
