Blood centers In Texas desperately need donations since the storm caused facilities to shut down.
PUBLISHED 5:36 PM CST Feb. 03, 2023AUSTIN, Texas — Blood centers are in urgent need of donations because of closures during the stormDonors without power came for its first full day open Friday to give blood and keep warmWhile that might not seem like a lot, the facility collects an average of 200 whole blood donations and around 40 units of platelets a day. The center is the main blood donation nonprofit in the region, distributing to 50 hospitals and clinics in Central Texas.
Agarwal’s been donating since high school. When she heard the blood centers were low on supply, she didn’t hesitate to lend an arm.“We got snacks, we got drinks, we got Girl Scout cookies, right?!” she said. We Are Blood Community Engagement Vice President Nick Canedo says while there are clients with no electric coming in, the storm is also preventing people from donating.
“People are still struggling, making sure their homes are okay, maybe dealing with power struggles,” he said.“You’re talking about trauma patients, surgery patients, cancer patients, even mothers and newborns experiencing complications during birth,” he said. In the past five years, he says there has been a tremendous increase in demand for donations. The need is 33% more for the whole blood and over 50% more for platelet units.Blood and platelets also have an expiration date, so centers rely on a constant fresh supply. It takes a few days to process the inventory before it gets to patients.“I think it’s incredible that a two-day lack of donations can have such a wide affect,” she said. “It makes you realize how continuous this process has to be.
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