Please Donate Blood. It is the Ultimate Random Act of Kindness.
Vitalant South Hills Donation Center Supervisor Nikki works with blood donor Hannah. “We are always glad to welcome younger blood donors,” Nikki says. “They are the future of our community blood supply.
Donor care specialist Connie and platelet donor Emily. As a nurse, Emily has firsthand knowledge of the need for blood donors in our community.
John DiSalle, President Judge of Washington County Courts, has been donating for decades. With more than 170 platelet donations to date, he appreciates phlebotomist Joyce’s compassion and care to make his donation experience comfortable.
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion to survive. This could be a child undergoing surgery, a trauma or burn patient, or a person fighting cancer. The only source for that blood is people who voluntarily donate it.
But while the majority of people in the US are eligible to donate blood, only 3% actually do. As a result, there is critical blood shortage right now.
If you are healthy and eligible, please consider giving blood through Vitalant.
You may schedule your appointment at vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).
Vitalant is the blood provider for a number of hospitals in the South Hills and Washington County, including AHN Brentwood, AHN Canonsburg Hospital, AHN Jefferson Hospital, St. Clair Health, Washington Health System, as well as all other AHN and UPMC hospitals in the greater Pittsburgh area. That means when you donate blood through Vitalant, it most likely helps a patient right here in our community.
To care for their patients, these hospitals require about 600 blood donations every day. Prior to the pandemic, our community donated only about half this amount of blood, forcing Vitalant to import blood from other cities. But today, donations are even lower and only about a third of the blood these hospitals need is collected locally.
Our country is experiencing a shortage of blood donors.
Why is this happening? The number of people donating blood has been declining for years, but COVID-19 and its shelter-in-place policies dealt a devastating blow. Even though the pandemic is waning and life is slowly returning to normal, a significant number of blood donors have not come back. This may be because many businesses, schools and places of worship that used to host on-site blood drives have not resumed operating in-person.
At the same time, Vitalant’s blood donation centers have also experienced a decline. In contrast, hospitals’ demand for blood is back at pre-pandemic levels, creating a serious problem which could eventually lead to a public health crisis.
You can help avoid a crisis by donating blood.
Many people think blood is needed only after major disasters. However, daily personal emergencies and ongoing medical needs of thousands of patients require a constant and ready blood supply. It’s the blood already on hospital shelves that saves lives.
If you have given blood before, please come back to donate. If you have never donated, this is an opportunity to do something that will literally save patients’ lives. The entire process is safe and fast. If you’re worried about needles, don’t be; most blood donors compare the experience to a split-second pinch. One blood donor can save three lives, because each whole blood donation is separated into red blood cells, plasma, and platelets – with each going to a separate patient.
Many convenient places to donate blood.
Vitalant makes it convenient to donate blood, offering 10 comfortable blood donation centers throughout the area, as well as daily community blood drives. The South Hills donation center, located in the Manor Building at 4701 Baptist Road, is open six days a week.
Vitalant also offers regularly scheduled community blood drives at the following locations:
· Cameron Wellness Center in Washington the second and fourth Wednesday of each month
· Center Presbyterian Church in McMurray the first and third Monday and last Saturday of each month
· Hampton Inn in Bridgeville on the second Tuesday of each month
You can have a positive impact on our community by giving blood. Please schedule your appointment at vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825). On behalf of the patients whose lives you’ll help save, thank you.
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