Published by Kirby Winn on Friday, August 12, 2022 in News Releases
Faced with a declining blood supply after weeks of low donations, ImpactLife is now appealing to all current and potential donors to schedule donations in support of our region’s blood supply. The blood center’s Inventory Management and Distribution team responds to urgent needs for additional blood components whenever traumas or surgeries require significant volumes of blood beyond normal treatment levels. The Massive Transfusion Protocols, or MTPs, within the ImpactLife service region often require dozens of components of blood including red blood cells, platelets and plasma. ImpactLife strives to maintain a five-day supply for all blood types but the constant use of blood for patients and multiple MTPs in recent weeks have left blood inventories at just a one-day supply for O-negative and two to three day supply for O-positive, A-negative, A-positive, B-positive, and B-negative blood types.
To schedule an appointment for donation, call (800) 747-5401 or schedule online at www.bloodcenter.org, or via the Blood Center's mobile app (www.bloodcenter.org/app).
Blood and platelet donations are used to support ongoing, routine use at local hospitals while a reserve is needed in case of a spike in demand due to large scale emergency or mass trauma. “It’s the blood that was already donated, tested, and ‘on the shelves’ ready to distribute to hospitals that makes the greatest difference in a crisis,” said Lindsay Peters, Director, Customer Relations. “We now need to build back to a more stable inventory level to continue meeting expected needs and any emergencies that may arise.”
Donor Eligibility Update: ImpactLife lifts deferral for potential exposure to Mad Cow Disease
The urgent call for donations comes just a week after ImpactLife was able to reinstate more than 5000 potential blood donors following a new guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that no longer requires deferral for individuals with extensive travel history or prior residence in Europe. Following the new guidance, ImpactLife has removed indefinite deferrals for 5126 potential donors who were previously deferred from blood donation due to travel or residence in the United Kingdom, France, or Ireland.
The deferral was related to a theoretical risk of transmitting Cruetzfeldt-Jakob Disease (also known as Mad Cow Disease) to blood transfusion recipients. FDA has determined this is no longer a concern for donors who have previously lived in the United Kingdom and other European countries. (For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org/madcow.)
ImpactLife Donor Promotions
To thank those who support the blood center’s lifesaving mission at this critical time of year, ImpactLife is pleased to offer the following donor promotions for all who come to give blood at ImpactLife donor centers and mobile blood drives. (For more information on donor promotions, see www.bloodcenter.org/promotions.)
$10 e-gift card (or donor’s choice of 500 bonus points for ImpactLife Donor Rewards Store)
- Voucher provided to all donors giving at ImpactLife mobile blood drives (locations) through Sept. 11
$20 e-gift card (or donor’s choice of 500 bonus points for ImpactLife Donor Rewards Store)
- Voucher provided to all donors giving at ImpactLife Donor Centers (locations) through Sept. 11
$25 e-gift card
- Voucher provided to all donors giving a Double Red Cell donation or a platelet donation for at least third time with ImpactLife (locations) through Sept. 11
$50 e-gift card
- Voucher provided to all donors giving platelet donations for the first or second time (locations) through Sept. 11
Donor Rewards Points
- Provided with all donations, with the value based on donation procedure type; Double and Triple Point Days apply (for more information, see: ImpactLife Donor Rewards)
About ImpactLife
ImpactLife is a not-for-profit community organization providing blood services to 124 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as resource sharing partners across the country. Services extend from southcentral Wisconsin to St. Louis, Missouri and from Danville, Illinois to Chariton, Iowa. (See a map of the ImpactLife service region.) ImpactLife operates 22 Donor Centers and holds approximately 5000 mobile blood drives annually to provide blood components needed for patient transfusions at hospitals throughout our region.
For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, and YouTube.
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