Versiti Urging Michigan Donors To Give Blood Before Year Ends

A blood center in Michigan is urging Michigan residents to donate blood before the year is over.

Donating blood can be incredibly important for those who find themselves in an emergency, and for the most part, the first blood that people will receive when they’ve been injured will be in the back of an ambulance or a medical helicopter, which is why groups like Versiti are urging people to donate blood this year.

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Recently, they released findings showing that across their five-state service area, blood donations have dropped by 11% since Memorial Day, which has left them about 15,000 donations short of their June in July numbers.

As it is right now, they say hospitals and emergency medical teams only receive about 1,500 blood donations every day, which totals around 10,500 per week. This is why Versiti Blood Center of Michigan has been encouraging people who can donate to schedule an appointment to boost the blood supply during this time when blood donations have declined.

To schedule an appointment at a donor center or community blood drive near you, visit BloodCenter.com or call (866)642-5663. Julie Cruz, MD, FCAP, Senior Medical Director of Versiti, explains how crucial donations are to them right now:

The first blood a severely injured patient receives may now come in an ambulance or medical helicopter instead of an emergency department. That changes where lifesaving care begins, but it doesn't change the source of that blood. It comes from volunteer donors. Every donation helps ensure our trauma teams, EMS partners and hospitals have the blood they need to care for patients during their most critical moments.