Published by Kirby Winn on Thursday, May 15, 2025 in News Releases
At emergency rooms across our region, mild springtime weather brings the beginning of “trauma season,” a time of year when emergency room doctors and emergency medical services providers typically see an increase in trauma and injuries. Warm weather correlates to an increase in outdoor activity and this often comes with a corresponding increase in patients in the ER due to accidents and injuries.
Warm weather also coincides with an increase in gunshot wounds and other interpersonal violence. According to the American College of Surgeons, hemorrhage is the most common cause of death within the first hour of arrival to a trauma center and more than 80% of deaths in the operating room and nearly 50% of deaths in the first 24 hours after injury are due to severe blood loss. (U.S. Blood Donation Statistics and Public Messaging Guide, America’s Blood Centers.)
For ImpactLife, trauma season arrives at a time when blood inventories are in decline. That’s due in part to seeing fewer blood drives hosted by schools this time of year. The blood supply for type O-negative -- most often used in cases of blood loss due to trauma -- has been especially low this week at less than a 2-day supply.
![Dr. Nida Feller]()
Dr. Nida Feller, Springfield Memorial Hospital
Dr. Nida Feller spoke with reporters inside the emergency room at Springfield Memorial Hospital, where she practices as an emergency room physician. "We couldn't function if we didn't have blood from donors in our community," said Dr. Feller. "We see patients with traumatic injuries, gastrointestinal bleeding, and other reasons they need red blood cells and platelets. It's so vital."
ImpactLife is now looking to increase appointment schedules to meet increasing patient needs. To find an ImpactLife Donor Center location or mobile blood drive, call (800) 747-5401, schedule online at www.bloodcenter.org or via the ImpactLife mobile app (www.bloodcenter.org/app).
Donor For Life: ImpactLife Donor Rewards ![Donor for Life]()
Trauma season underscores the importance of always maintaining a strong and stable blood supply. To thank donors who give blood at this time of year, ImpactLife now offers blood donors the opportunity to donate to a nonprofit, receive a gift card for personal use, or to receive bonus points to use in the blood center’s Donor Rewards Store.
DONOR CENTER BONUS (May 19 – June 1): To help increase appointments at ImpactLife Donor Centers in the weeks surrounding Memorial Day, donors will receive $20 in bonus value (or 1000 bonus points) for donations made at ImpactLife Donor Centers from May 19 - June 1. For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org/donorforlife.
About ImpactLife
ImpactLife's mission is to save lives by engaging donors, supporting partners, and advancing medicine. Founded in 1974, ImpactLife supplies blood products and services to hundreds of hospitals, emergency services organizations, clinical researchers, and other blood centers throughout Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri. The nonprofit blood provider is ranked among the leading 12 blood suppliers in the United States. For more information on current blood inventory levels, our donor promotions, and more, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
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