With supplies running “critically low,” UCHealth Garth Englund Blood Donation Centers have put out the call for donors.
A seasonal lull and the impact of COVID-19 isolation precautions has dramatically impacted local blood supplies while the needs of patients have increased, according to a UCHealth news release.
Donations of all blood types are needed and important, Kaitlin Zobel, the donor recruiter at the blood donor centers, stated in the release. However, donors with A and O blood types are especially needed, as are donations of whole blood and platelets of all types.
“This is a good year to resolve to make a difference in someone else’s life when they need the most,” Zobel stated in the release. “And I can’t think of a better way than this. Every time you donate blood you can save up to three lives in less than an hour.”
Two mobile blood drives are planned next month in Longmont. The drives, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be :
- Feb. 9 at UCHealth Longmont Clinic, 1925 W. Mountain View Ave. Appointments are required. To schedule an appointment, click here.
- Feb. 11 at UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital, 1750 E. Ken Pratt Blvd. Appointments are required. To schedule an appointment, click here.
A typical whole blood donation takes 30 to 40 minutes, according to the release.
Blood donors must be at least 18 years old, or 17 with a parent's permission, and show photo identification. New donors must weigh at least 120 pounds and be in good health, according to the release. Prior donors must weigh at least 110 pounds.
Donors should eat a good meal before their appointment and drink plenty of water the day before and day of the drive, according to the release.
For more information about eligibility requirements, the donation process and donation center hours, click here.
The blood centers also have a high need for new platelet donors, which help patients with chronic diseases such as cancer, patients with blood disorders and transplants, and those who undergo major surgeries or sustain major injuries, according to the release.
Platelet donations take 90 to 120 minutes.
“We love our donors, but we need more to be able to keep up with the demand at the hospitals,” Zobel stated in the release. “We only have so many in our database who donate platelets on a regular basis, and the bottom line is that platelet transfusions are outnumbering the donations we’re getting.”
All blood donated through UCHealth’s Garth Englund Blood Donation Centers stays local and helps patients at Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont, Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Greeley Emergency and Surgery Center and Estes Park Health, according to the release.
