Please give blood

The availability of blood depends on volunteer donations, and without them the lives of the most vulnerable may be in jeopardy.

During the winter months, we almost always suffer a shortage of blood,' said Linda Michielson, Director of Wayne County Public Health. 'January is a difficult month for blood centers to collect donations due to the bitter cold and snow. At the same time, it is flu and cold season and more people are sick with respiratory ailments. We are joining the blood banking community to emphasize the significance of the need to donate blood.'

If blood supplies are not maintained at a proper level, patients, accident victims and those whose lives depend on regular transfusions are at risk for not getting the blood they need.

About eight million volunteers donate blood each year in the U.S. More than 26.5 million units of blood are transfused every year. About half the donations are collected by the Red Cross, with the other half donated to independent community blood centers and hospitals.

Each day, America needs about 38,000 units of blood for accident victims, heart surgery patients, those undergoing organ transplants, and people getting cancer treatments. So it's critical that people donate regularly to keep the supply high enough to meet not only routine needs for transfusions - such as surgeries - but also crises.

Public Health encourages people to donate every 56 days. A donor must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. Donors are asked to stay an additional 15 minutes after they have completed their donation. Donors are given juice, cookies or other snacks. The entire process takes about an hour, with the actual collection time 10 minutes or less.

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