Red Cross appeals for blood donors

PHILADELPHIA, PA.; February 11, 2010

The blood bank is 2000 units behind in donations, and in urgent need of donors.

During the storms on Saturday and Wednesday, delivery drivers were able to keep hospitals supplied, but donations came to a halt.

Brigid O'Neill-LaGier, the CEO of the Penn-Jersey unit, says, "We need all blood types, because our patients are all blood types. We're particularly short on groups O negative and B negative."

"Our platelets are the shortest supply, and what I'm most worried about this week," she adds.

And even today, they had to cancel many of the bloodmobile's stops because the schools they were to be held at were closed.

So the Penn-Jersey blood services region is hoping to catch up before another big storm comes along, and causes a crisis.

When Action News visited the Musser donor center Thursday morning, the staff was there, and ready to go, but there were few donors. Several people who were scheduled to donate never came, possibly because they hadn't dug out yet.

She says some blood is coming from other areas of the country, but, "they've had issues with weather as well."

Donating is easy, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS, or going to the website, www.redcrossblood.org.

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