Versiti Blood Center Of Indiana Pleads For Blood Platelet Donors
INDIANAPOLIS Versiti Blood Center of Indiana is asking Hoosiers to help each other by donating blood or platelets as the nonprofit looks to fill thousands of open appointments.
As of Tuesday, Versiti says there are more than 2,500 open appointments at blood drives and donation centers statewide. Donating blood takes about an hour.
“You can give me literally billions of dollars, smartest scientists in the world … and we could not create in that laboratory what someone is gonna do in a donor chair today or tomorrow,” Dr. Dan Waxman, vice president of transfusion medicine and senior medical director at Versiti, said. “Blood is life saving and we can’t create it in a lab. We need volunteer donors to come up, roll up their sleeve and donate the gift of life.”
Currently, Versiti anticipates the available inventory of blood to be at less than a one-day supply within the coming days their goal is to have at least a three day supply.
They are also looking for platelet donors, which have a much shorter shelf life than blood donations. Donors of all blood types are encouraged to donate platelets.
Versiti has extended hours at its donor center locations through June 21 to provide more flexibility for donors. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. To learn more or to sign up to donate, visit Versiti’s website or call 317-916-5150.
Donor center locations:
How Is Blood Used
- One in seven patients entering a hospital requires blood products.
- This ranges from trauma victims to patients battling sickle cell disease, Thalassemia, or those receiving an organ or bone marrow transplant.
- Cancer patients use 25 percent of all blood donations, and blood transfusions are needed in one out of every 83 newborn deliveries in America today. This rate has increased by more than 50 percent between 2006 and 2015. The list goes on.
- All of us are likely to know someone who has needed or will need blood.
- One donation of blood has the potential to save up to three lives.
All blood types are needed, with types O-positive and O-negative most in demand. O-positive is the most common blood type, while O-negative blood is the universal type that can be received safely by all patients in emergencies when the blood type is unknown.
To schedule an appointment to donate blood, call 1-317-916-5150 or visit versiti.org.
Versiti Blood Center Of Indiana Needs Donors
by: Abby Peavey, Sponsored Content by Versiti Blood Center of Indiana
Posted: Aug 30, 2022 / 12:24 PM EDT
by: Abby Peavey, Sponsored Content by Versiti Blood Center of Indiana
Posted: Aug 30, 2022 / 12:24 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS Versiti Area Vice President, Penny Schroeder, stopped by to share how to get involved in blood donation and their special incentives for donors.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Versiti Blood Center Of Indiana Issues Emergency Appeal For Blood Donations
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Less than a day’s supply of blood available, putting patients’ lives at risk
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Versiti Blood Center of Indiana has issued an emergency appeal for blood donation. With less than a day’s supply of lifesaving blood on the shelves for Indiana hospitals, patients’ lives are at risk.
Versiti saw a significant decline in donations during the holiday season, and the downward trend continues as the region navigates ongoing winter weather. Unfortunately, the need for blood does not take a holiday, and more patients than ever before require lifesaving blood as part of their treatment.
“As we welcome the new year, we are seeing an uptick in emergency room visits and trauma patients requiring mass blood transfusions, decimating the blood supply,” said Dr. Dan Waxman, vice president of transfusion medicine and senior medical director at Versiti. “Available blood across the state is dangerously low, and we are asking those who are able to make an appointment to donate today and to encourage a friend or family member to do the same.”
About Versiti Blood Center Of Indiana
More than 65,000 Indiana residents each year give over 130,000 blood products through Versiti Blood Center of Indiana, formerly Indiana Blood Center, a non-profit organization founded in 1952 that operates blood donation centers in Indianapolis, Fishers, Carmel, Greenwood, Lafayette and Terre Haute. The center also operates thousands of mobile and community blood drives each year throughout the state. Versiti provides a continuous, safe supply of blood and clinical services to more than 100 Indiana hospitals and their patients.
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Blood Donation Locations In Indiana
Donating blood is an easy, four-step process that only takes about an hour and can help save lives.
- Interview: During the first step, the interview, a trained technician will review the donor’s health history information
- Screening: After the interview, the blood collection staff member will check the donor’s blood pressure, pulse rate, temperature, and iron level
- Donation: The actual blood donation procedure usually will take about 5 to 10 minutes and
- Refreshments: After the donation, the donor can enjoy some refreshments.
Below is a list of places where people in Indiana can go to give blood. For more information on donating blood, please call Versiti Blood Center of Indiana, 1-800-632-4722.
Red Cross Versiti Encouraging Blood Donations
Submitted photo
The American Red Cross and Versiti Blood Center of Indiana are urging blood donors of all types and those who have never given before to take the time to donate blood or platelets this month.
According to americasblood.org, this month is an opportunity to recognize the roughly 3% of the U.S. population that donates blood each year. A blood transfusion occurs every 2 seconds in America, and a single donation can save multiple lives.
Patients access to care means having blood readily available on hospital shelves, said Dr. Baia Lasky, medical director of the American Red Cross of Georgia. Its important people dont wait until theres a crisis to give blood.
Unlike other treatments, blood cannot be stockpiled or manufactured. It can only come from volunteer blood donors. Blood products are not only vital in saving patients lives but instrumental in supporting other treatments, like chemotherapy.
The American Red Cross plans to conduct at least two blood drives this month in Jackson County.
The first will be from noon to 6 p.m. Jan. 19 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 605 S. Walnut St., Seymour. The second will be from 8 a.m. to noon Jan. 29 at St. Paul Lutheran Church Borchers, 10792 N. County Road 210E, Seymour.
National Blood Donor Month, celebrated in January since 1970, is designed to raise awareness of the need for blood during the winter and throughout the year while honoring those who roll up a sleeve to help patients in need.
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Versiti Blood Center Struggles For Donations
INDIANAPOLIS Versiti Blood Center of Indiana says the need for blood donations is at a critical level, pleading for donors to come in.
In a typical week the blood center needs 2,900 people to donate to supply Indiana hospitals, but currently they say theyre not close to that number.
Dr. Dan Waxman is the Vice President and Senior Medical Director for Versiti. He says with the recent holidays, it has been more difficult getting the necessary donations.
Waxman says hospitals are getting sent blood on a case by case situation because of the low level of donations.
He says if a hospital calls and wants 20 units of blood, the blood center may only be able to offer them ten units instead.
The city of Indianapolis has three level one trauma centers that rely heavily on blood supplies. The lack of donations has leaders worried.
We just dont want to get to a situation where a patient is in the hospital and they dont have the products to make it through their procedure. The people we treat might be someone you never met. You never know. It could be a neighbor it could be a relative, it could be someone very close to you, so this is something were in a dire need for and we really need people to come out and donate, Waxman said.
The process to donate blood is very simple, it only takes about an hour from the sign in process to the end of the donation.
Anyone 17 and older can donate.
You can either make an appointment to donate, or you can walk in as well.