SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns are being urged to donate their blood following the American Red Cross reporting a drop in blood donations.
The situation has grown so much that one Salt Lake City hospital told FOX 13 News they had a critical shortage of blood when the Red Cross couldn't do their routine delivery.
According to the humanitarian organization, their inventory dropped about 35% in the past month. The Red Cross stated that the nationwide flu outbreak, winter weather, and strained hospitals are causing the drop in donations.
In Salt Lake City, Intermountain Health’s transfusion medical director, Sarah Ilstrup, said it is scary to see the shelves not have enough blood on them for their patients, and the Red Cross was unable to supply their normal amount of blood.
“Last Friday, we were really approaching our critical inventory in this facility,” she said. “And ARUP, University of Utah, helped us with some o positive units and we’re really grateful.”
Ilstrup says between weather events halting some blood drives, lower donation rates during the holidays and flu season, they weren’t getting as many donations. Red Cross reports that 400 blood drives were impacted by the weather, which caused a lot of blood donations to go uncollected.
And the donations are needed for a variety of procedures and emergencies, from surgery to labor and delivery.
“Only 3% of the eligible people donate,” she said. “It’s dependent on what literature sources you’re looking at, but anywhere from 37% to 62% of the population could be donors, but it’s only 3%, so we have to figure out a way to get a lot more than 3%.”
The Red Cross urges more people to donate blood to help with this shortage. Heidi Ruster, the CEO of the Utah-Nevada Region, said it’s important. “If you’re a regular donor, come by,” she said. “And if you’re not, please come by. It’s easy and takes about a half hour.”
To help encourage more people to roll up their sleeves, the Red Cross is thanking donors who come out through January 25th by entering them for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LX.
The winner and guest will get to enjoy Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, CA, access to day-of in-stadium pregame activities, tickets to the official Super Bowl Experience, round-trip airfare, three-night hotel accommodations, and a $1,000 gift card for expenses. Click here for more information.
If you aren't able to get out and donate by the 25th, the Red Cross will also be giving donors from January 26 to February 28 a $20 gift card to a merchant of their choice. Click here for more details.
Ruster added that donors who use the Red Cross app can see where their blood donations are going and its impact across the country.
