Nationwide blood shortage is affecting local patients. Here’s how you can help
In the wake of numerous natural disasters and large-scale shootings that occurred in the United States over the past several months, the American Red Cross in Pennsylvania is experiencing a shortage of donated blood.
“Pennsylvania is in the Greater Allegheny Region (of the American Red Cross) along with West Virginia, parts of Ohio and parts of Kentucky, so that region is experiencing a shortage,” said Red Cross External Communications Manager Regina Boothe Bratton. “We count on people to host blood drives for us. We don’t have as many people hosting blood drives.”
Citing the recent mass shootings in Pittsburgh and Annapolis, Maryland, hurricanes Florence and Michael that hit the southeastern U.S. and the unprecedented wildfires in California, Boothe Bratton said the Red Cross is “still playing catch up” with its local donations after serving the victims of these events.
As late as September, Boothe Bratton said, the Red Cross was still providing disaster relief and blood donations to victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
“Normally, yes, the winter months, they are tough for us,” she said. “(But) it’s a very serious situation.”
The Red Cross tries to keep a five-day supply of blood on the shelf, but right now “we barely have a two-day supply,” Boothe Bratton said. Blood is perishable and has a shelf life of 56 days.
Though the Red Cross has not received any reports of chemotherapy treatments being canceled, Boothe Bratton said it has heard that some elective surgeries are being postponed because of the blood shortage.
“We need to do something to stave that off, as soon as possible,” she said.
The need is high. Though the situation around blood donation changes every year, Boothe Bratton said the Red Cross needs 1,200 blood drives to happen with an average of 30 units (around 30 pints) collected before the year is up. That blood serves patients who need routine transfusions, like those diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell anemia, victims of car accidents and patients battling opioid addiction.
Local needs are always prioritized, said Boothe Bratton, followed by state, regional and national needs.
At the blood drive in the President’s Suite at Beaver Stadium on Tuesday, she said the Red Cross hopes to collect 134 units of blood, which could help around 400 patients. Each unit of blood helps approximately three people.
Shelby Campbell, a 3-year-old from Chambersburg, is one of those patients who will be helped by a Red Cross blood donation.
Adopted from China, Shelby has a rare blood disease called beta thalassemia, which causes her body to have low levels of hemoglobin and a shortage of red blood cells. She needs to receive a blood transfusion every 21 days to survive.
Shelby receives transfusions at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, which is about a three-hour drive from her house.
“She’s just one of the many cases in the state of Pennsylvania ... these are the people that are impacted,” Boothe Bratton said.
The Red Cross is “pushing as much as we can, to get the word out” and offering incentives for people to donate blood, she said. At the Beaver Stadium blood drive, the organization is providing food from DelGrosso, donors will be entered to win four tickets to a 2019 Penn State Football away game and donors also receive a free, commemorative T-shirt.
Upcoming area blood drives
State College
Dec. 12: 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Penn State IT, Technology Support Building, 300 Science Park Road
Dec. 14: 12:30-5:30 p.m. American Legion Nittany Post 245, 1950 Pine Hall Road
Dec. 18: 1-6:30 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, 850 Stratford Drive
University Park
Tuesday: 11 a.m.-6 p.m., President’s Suite, Beaver Stadium
Dec. 5: 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Smeal Business Building, 210 Business Building
Dec. 6: 10 a.m.-4 p.m, HUB-Robeson Center
Dec. 11: 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Penn Stater Hotel, 215 Innovation Blvd.
Bellefonte
Saturday: 9 a.m.-2 p.m., St. John Parochial School, 134 E. Bishop St.
Dec. 13: 1-5:30 p.m., Centre Crest, 502 E. Howard St.
Dec. 18: 12:30-5 p.m., Boggs Township Community Building, 1290 Runville Road
Boalsburg
Dec. 6: 12:30-6 p.m., Boalsburg Volunteer Fire Company, 113 E. Pine St.
Centre Hall
Thursday: 1:30-6 p.m., Old Fort American Legion, 2829 Penns Valley Pike
Howard
Dec. 12: 1:30-7 p.m., Howard Fire Hall, 14 Walnut St.
Pine Grove Mills
Dec. 13: 1:30-6:30 p.m., Ferguson Township Lions Club, 424 West Pine Grove Road
Rebersburg
Dec. 11: 1:30-7 p.m., Miles Township Fire Hall, 102 Broad St.
Clearfield
Dec. 7: noon-5:30 p.m., Emmanuel United Methodist Church, 1010 Dorey St.
Warriors Mark
Dec. 4: 1-6:30 p.m., Warriors Mark United Methodist Church, 1840 Centre Line Road, Route 550
This story was originally published November 28, 2018 at 2:41 PM.