Summer news tip: Blood donation
Blood centers brace for summer shortages
For many people, summer is a time to relax and take a much-needed vacation or travel. But for blood centers, summer is far more stressful; it’s a time when donation numbers and supplies dwindle.
“Every summer, we see a significant dip in donations,” says Kerry DuBay, supervisor of the University of Iowa Health Care DeGowin Blood Center. “This is especially true right around the summer holidays when many people are traveling. Unfortunately, the need for life-saving blood donations typically rises, especially over Memorial Day Weekend when accidents increase.”
Blood drives are scheduled throughout the summer months to support patients at UI Health Care. Interested donors can call DeGowin Blood Center or monitor the center’s Facebook page for details on upcoming blood drives.
Every year the DeGowin Blood Center provides more than 27,000 blood products to patients within UI Health Care.
Blood products cannot be artificially made, so the center relies on the generosity of donors for both whole blood and platelets. All kinds of patients benefit from blood and platelet donations, including trauma patients, cancer patients, patients undergoing organ and marrow transplants, patients having heart surgery, those who experience postpartum hemorrhage, and patients with inherited blood disorders.
How to become a blood donor
Making a donation of whole blood is easy: Make an appointment, show up, pass a mini-physical and health screening, donate and then enjoy post donation snacks. Whole blood donations typically take between 45 minutes to an hour. Donors may also choose to donate platelets instead of whole blood. That donation process takes about two hours. Donors are encouraged to schedule an appointment in advance but walk-in donations will be accepted as staffing allows for both whole blood and platelet donations.
Donors need to be 17 years of age or older or 16 with a signed parent/guardian consent form. Donors must weigh at least 110 pounds and be free of cold or flu symptoms for five days leading up to their donation. Donors need to bring a photo ID, a list of medications they take and places and dates they have traveled outside the U.S. within the last 3 years.
The DeGowin Blood Center is open Monday through Friday, with variable hours between 7 am and 7:30 pm, for donations, and donors get free parking during their visit. The blood center also hosts a variety of blood drives throughout the community. Donors should note that platelets can only be donated at the DeGowin Blood Center at UI Health Care Medical Center on the university campus.
