Red Cross, Local Hospitals Launch Public Awareness Campaign

“Consider Yourself Asked”

“Without these precious blood products, many may die.”

This comment by Linda McAndrew, Administrative Director of the NEPA Trauma Center at Community Medical Center (CMC) in Scranton, described the importance of an adequate  blood supply in northeastern and central Pennsylvania from a hospital perspective.

 “Lives are changed in seconds,” McAndrew related, “last year over 32,000 patients were treated at 26 trauma centers in Pennsylvania.  Ten percent of our patients here immediately receive blood in the emergency department as a life-saving intervention.”

Dr. Brian Mott, Cardio-Thoracic Surgeon at CMC agreed.  “We do over 300 open heart surgeries a year and about 50 percent of these patients need blood,” Dr. Mott reported, “About 20 percent of these patients are high risk and use the most blood.  Of these surgeries, at least 80 percent are urgent, not elective.  Blood must be available.”

The two helped kick off the “Consider Yourself Asked” American Red Cross blood donor summer recruitment campaign at a press conference held at CMC.  Many people say they don’t give blood because no one asked them to, so Red Cross is asking.  The Northeastern Pennsylvania Blood Services campaign will run through September 9 and includes giveaways such as raffles for Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Yankees tickets, free gas and Apple iPods.  Red Cross plans also include donating coloring books and crayons to children in hospitals to thank everyone who gives blood for the first time this summer.

Blood donations usually slow down around the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend.  However, Red Cross officials are very concerned as that slow down has occurred much earlier this year.  This month about half of the people who made appointments to give blood did not keep their appointments, resulting in a deficit of almost 700 blood donations in May alone.

“This situation is very serious,” explained Tony Ferlenda, Chief Executive Officer, American Red Cross Blood Services, Northeastern Pennsylvania Region, “as you’ve heard the doctors describe – people’s lives can be at stake.  We are urging everyone to make an appointment to give blood, and to keep that appointment.  Please don’t leave it up to someone else.  Please give blood now.”

McAndrew said blood availability is a must.  “One-third of our population is on blood thinners,” she said, “this poses a unique situation for trauma surgeons, neurosurgeons, and orthopedic surgeons.  These patients rely on blood products to reverse the effects of blood thinners to allow life-saving surgery to be done.”

When the number of people giving blood drops, it can lead to tough decisions for Dr. Thomas Lightfoot, Medical Director, American Red Cross Blood Services.  “As stewards of the blood supply, not only collecting and manufacturing are important,” Lightfoot said, “availability is the key.  When the supply is real low, we are forced to use medical approval to release blood on a case-by-case basis.  This is a difficult position to be in – to say no to a patient.”

Anyone who is at least 17 years old, who weighs at least 110 pounds, and is in good health may give blood.  For more information, or to find a blood donation opportunity, call the Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE LIFE.