LIMP LIFELINE: Shortage of donors puts blood supply in danger
January 2, 2003
BY ALEJANDRO BODIPO-MEMBA
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
The season of giving hasn't been kind to the blood supply in southeast Michigan.
Blood donations were down significantly this holiday season, and groups like the American Red Cross are concerned that the shortage of blood products could reach a critical stage soon.
"Our regular donors haven't been coming in as frequently this holiday season," said Derine Sims, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross of Southeastern Michigan.
The Detroit office held a New Year's eve blood drive in its third-floor conference room in hopes of attracting as many eligible donors as possible.
One of the donors,Victoria Valan, an office administrator in Detroit, received a call from the Red Cross to donate Tuesday.
"Giving blood is a way for me to celebrate the holidays," she said. "I donate every opportunity I get."
The 37-year-old Southfield resident is one of the estimated 100,000 metro Detroit area blood donors in the Red Cross database.
Donors can only give blood every 56 days.
On an average day, the Red Cross collects about 800 units of blood and 450 units of platelets. But last week, donors supplied 80 percent of the blood normally collected daily. The shortage of donors during the last two weeks has led to a severe shortage of blood products, in particular O-type blood and platelets. The supply of blood platelets -- necessary for chemotherapy and open-heart-surgery patients -- is critically low.
"This is the toughest time of year for us with back-to-back holidays, schools being out and the auto plants being on shutdown," said Gregory Vasse, chief executive of the American Red Cross of Southeastern Michigan. "Fortunately, we aren't declaring any sort of blood emergency, but we still face the significant challenges this week with the New Year holiday."
Vasse said African-American men, in particular, are needed to give more blood in the metro Detroit area. "We've been working with local churches, Wayne State University and others to get the word out on our African-American Donor initiative," he said.
The southeast Michigan region, which consists of Wayne, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw and St. Clair counties, has an annual blood supply of 218,000 units and a demand of 248,000 units.
TheRed Cross imports about 32,000 units of blood to make up the difference.
Nationally, only about 5 percent of the eligible donor population gives blood. To donate, a person must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in reasonably good health.
There are nine Red Cross donor centers in southeast Michigan. The centers are located in Ann Arbor, Bloomfield Township, Dearborn, Livonia, Macomb Township, Novi, Oak Park, Port Huron and Riverview. Another facility is expected to open in Detroit in the spring.
For more information or to make an appointment, call 800-GIVE-LIFE.
Contact ALEJANDRO BODIPO-MEMBA at 313-222-5008 or
bodipo@freepress.com.
You are currently accessing this Site as a guest. Please login or register by clicking Here
Linear Mode
