Blood supply dwindles dangerously

It happens every year, the holidays, flu season and weather combine to frustrate collections at blood drives around the country. Blood levels fall and blood centers scramble to find enough of the right kind of blood to send to hospitals for transfusions.

This year it's worse than usual. Susan Hoberock, laboratory manager at Nevada Regional Medical Center, speculates that a perfect storm of factors has made this year especially bad. "It's always more common around the holidays and this year Christmas and New Year's are, in effect, four-day holidays, making it worse. We've had the snow and early flu season so that affects turnout," Hoberock said.

NRMC now uses the Community Blood Center to fill the need for blood and the service has always had the blood needed even though it's been tight on occasion. "CBC is a non-profit community collection agency and it provides blood to 70 hospitals in Missouri and Kansas. Right now they have a one day supply and all types of blood are needed, especially O negative. O negative is called the universal donor and can be given to people of other types but someone with O negative blood can only receive O negative blood."

Red blood cells have a limited shelf life, only 42 days, so there is always a need to replenish them. Add to that the increased need during holidays and the difficulty in collecting enough supplies and area blood centers could be faced with trying to find blood from outside the area.

To help make it through the holidays there will be a one-day blood drive Thursday, Dec. 18, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Moore-Few community room. There is parking south of the facility and the south door is the entrance to use. "If someone wants to schedule an appointment they can call the community relations office at (417) 448-3800 and set up a time to donate or walk-ins are always welcome. Refreshments will be on hand and donors will receive a T-shirt and CBC will send them their cholesterol levels by mail, as part of the testing process the blood's cholesterol level will be checked," Hoberock said.

Almost anyone can donate blood, the requirements are easy to fulfill. You need to be 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good general health and not have donated in the past eight weeks.

The hospital is hoping to see 50 donors during the drive. "We'd like to see at least 50 units donated but we'd love to see more than that," said Hoberock. "The need for blood always exists, it never takes a holiday. People who donate blood truly give the gift of life and what better time to do it than at the holiday season when the need is so great?"