Every two seconds, someone in the United States is in need of blood. Hospitals all around Michigan are experiencing a blood shortage and with that shortage, they aren’t able to help everyone that is in need of a transfusion.
During winter months, it is very common to have a shortage of blood in Michigan. Fewer blood drives are run because of the holiday seasons and more people catch colds, so they aren’t healthy enough to donate. With the intention of increasing blood donations during these months, January is named National Blood Donor Month.
Usually, blood stored in the blood bank is enough to last for three to five days, but right now there’s only around enough to last for one. Non-emergent surgeries or transfusions have to be cancelled to save the blood supply in case there is an emergency.
Hospitals are most in demand for blood types O-negative and O-positive, but all types are needed. Everyone is encouraged to try to donate, as three lives can be saved per donation.
Although most are eligible to donate, only around 3% choose to. There are many reasons why people choose to not donate like being scared of needles or not having time.
To help alleviate the shortage, the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) club holds three drives every year. In order to be eligible to donate blood, a student must be in general good health and at least 16 with parent permission or 17 without.
On January 31, SADD held its second drive of the year. 94 pints of blood were donated which can help save around 282 lives. SADD advisor Ted Burba was amazed by how many people showed up.
“[The hospital] asked for 20 new donors, we had 54. It’s phenomenal and we had a very high turnout,” Burba said.
111 people registered smashing Northview’s goal of 82.
The next blood drive is April 24. If you are interested in donating, see Burba in classroom 1232 to sign up.
