Urgent Need for Blood Prompts Rescheduled Drives
By WestKyStar Staff
WESTERN KY and SOUTHERN IL - The American Red Cross calls for blood and platelet donations after severe winter weather impacts collections.
There's an urgent need for platelet donors, blood donors with types O, A negative and B negative. As severe winter weather begins to subside, the American Red Cross is asking all eligible blood and platelet donors to help offset a weather-related shortfall in donations. Approximately 280 blood drives across 25 states were cancelled across the U.S. due to snow and extreme cold. The blood drive cancellations resulted in a shortfall of nearly 8, 400 blood and platelet donations since January 2. In the Paducah area, severe winter weather forced the cancellation of eight Red Cross blood drives, resulting in about 400 fewer than expected blood donations over the past 30 days.
“It’s the blood products already on the shelves that help save lives when severe weather hits,” said Tim Ryerson, CEO of the Red Cross Tennessee Valley Blood Services Region. “Thanks to generous Red Cross blood and platelet donors, blood products were available for patients who still needed transfusions despite the weather. Now we invite those previously ‘frozen out’ from giving blood or platelets to come in soon.”
Platelet donors, as well as blood donors with the most in-demand blood types — O positive and negative, A negative and B negative — are urgently needed to give blood in the days and weeks ahead to offset the shortfall.
Platelets, a key clotting component of blood often needed by cancer patients, must be transfused within five days of donation, so donations are constantly needed. Red blood cells, the oxygen carrying component of blood, are the most widely transfused blood product and must be transfused within 42 days.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities:
Calloway
KY
1/23/14
11:00 AM
4:00 PM
St. John's Episcopal Church
1620 West Main St
Murray
Calloway
KY
1/28/14
1:30 PM
6:30 PM
Murray Middle School
801 Main Street
Murray
Calloway
KY
1/29/14
9:00 AM
3:00 PM
Baptist Campus Ministries
800 Waldrop
Murray
Fulton
KY
1/14/14
12:00 PM
4:00 PM
First Baptist Church
115 Second St
Fulton
Graves
KY
1/9/14
2:00 PM
6:00 PM
Graves County Middle School
615 Jimtown Road
Mayfield *t-shirts will be given to all presenting donors, while supplies last
Graves
KY
1/24/14
12:00 PM
6:00 PM
Mayfield Elementary School
1004 Backusburg Rd.
Mayfield
Graves
KY
1/28/14
11:00 AM
5:00 PM
American Legion
211 South 7th
Mayfield
Graves
KY
1/30/14
12:00 PM
4:00 PM
Healthsource of Mayfield
1011 Paris Road
Mayfield
Hardin
IL
1/22/14
10:30 AM
3:30 PM
Hardin County High School
Route 2
Elizabethtown
Hickman
KY
1/27/14
12:00 PM
6:00 PM
First United Methodist Church
210 South Washington Street
Clinton
Hardin
IL
1/22/14
10:30 AM
3:30 PM
Hardin County High School
Route 2
Elizabethtown
Hickman
KY
1/27/14
12:00 PM
6:00 PM
First United Methodist Church
210 South Washington Street
Clinton
Johnson
IL
1/20/14
10:00 AM
6:00 PM
Fellowship Baptist Church
890 Senior Avenue
Vienna
Johnson
IL
1/23/14
12:30 PM
5:30 PM
Goreville United Methodist Church
117 West Adams Street
Goreville
Lyon
KY
1/20/14
1:30 PM
5:30 PM
United Methodist Church
214 Jenkins
Eddyville
Marshall
KY
1/13/14
12:00 PM
6:00 PM
Calvert City Civic Center
1445 5th Avenue Southeast
Calvert City
Marshall
KY
1/20/14
12:00 PM
6:00 PM
Woodmen of the World Benton
100 S. Poplar
Benton
Massac
IL
1/10/14
9:30 AM
1:30 PM
Massac Memorial Hospital
28 Chick Street
Metropolis
McCracken
KY
1/17/14
11:30 AM
4:30 PM
Rosary Chapel Catholic Church
711 Ohio Street
Paducah
McCracken
KY
1/19/14
11:45 AM
3:45 PM
Reidland United Methodist Church
5515 Reidland Drive
Paducah
McCracken
KY
1/23/14
12:00 PM
4:00 PM
McCracken County Public Library
555 Washington Street
Paducah
Mississippi
MO
1/13/14
12:30 PM
4:30 PM
First Baptist Church
301 South Main
Charleston
Mississippi
MO
1/30/14
9:00 AM
2:00 PM
Charleston High School
604 South Thorn Street
Charleston
New Madrid
MO
1/17/14
8:30 AM
1:30 PM
Portageville High School
904 King Street
Portageville
Pemiscot
MO
1/9/14
12:00 PM
4:00 PM
Caruthersville Probation and Parole
915 Hwy 84
Caruthersville
Pulaski
IL
1/27/14
12:00 PM
4:00 PM
Cross Road United Methodist Church
1289 Ullin Road
Ullin
Union
IL
1/15/14
10:00 AM
4:00 PM
Anna-Jonesboro Community High School
608 South Main Street
Anna
In addition, below is information about the American Red Cross blood donation center in Paducah:
Paducah Blood Donor Center at 4635 Falconcrest Drive is open:
Monday - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tuesday - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wednesday - Closed
2nd, 3rd Thursday of month - 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday - 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
1st, 4th, 5th Sunday of month - 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Paducah Apheresis (Platelet Donation) Center at 4635 Falconcrest Drive is open:
Monday - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tuesday - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wednesday - Thursday - Closed
Friday - 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday - 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
1st, 4th, 5th Sunday of month - 7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
How to donate blood:
Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17-years-old (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18-years-old and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, visit www.redcross.org or visit on Twitter at @RedCross.