The summer months and holiday seasons are challenging times for blood centers. With the upcoming Fourth of July holiday providers are pooling their resources and casting a wide net.
Blood centers across the state are racing to fill their supplies as the long holiday weekend approaches. And places like Lee Memorial need all types. Actually…the need for blood has even forced blood center officials to lower restrictions in some cases. Community Relations Coordinator for Lee’s Blood center Nancy Hendrick says people that were once turned down are now accepted.
“A lot of people were told 20 years ago they can’t donate because they were on high blood pressure pills. You can donate if you are on high blood pressure pills as long as you are stable. You can donate blood if you are cholesterol medication you can donate. If you’re diabetic you can donate. If you are on an aspirin a day you can donate. If you’re on depression medication you can donate. They have opened the window a lot to allow more people to donate who are on a multitude of medication.”
Hendrick says it usually takes about ten minutes to determine if someone qualifies to give blood. She says one condition that can commonly lead to disqualification is low levels of iron. To find one of the many locations where Lee Memorial and Naples Community Blood Centers will collect blood call 334-5333…that’s 334-5-triple three.
-----
Places like Lee Memorial and Naples Community Blood Centers want to increase their supplies before the holiday. Blood Centers are in need of blood especially with the Fourth of July holiday coming up. But they are also advising people to increase their iron levels so they don’t have to be turned away. Lee Memorial Blood center spokeswoman Nancy Hendrick says turning people away because they have low iron levels is the biggest challenge for blood centers.
"The way society is running everybody’s running so fast…they’re so busy, we don’t eat right, we don’t sleep enough…and that deters from your iron levels. You have to have a certain iron level to be able to donate. So we try to tell people all the time to eat iron rich foods, drink plenty of fluids, get enough sleep and they should be ok."
Hendrick says it usually takes about ten minutes to know if someone does not qualify to give blood. To find one of the many locations where Lee Memorial and Naples Community Blood Centers will collect blood call 334-5333…that’s 334-5-triple three.