MONROE, La. – During the previous snow, Monroe’s LifeShare Blood Center had to shut down for its longest span. This caused the blood supply to become very low.
LifeShare Blood Center in Monroe provides blood products to our hospitals and community. They say events throughout 2020 and 2021, like COVID-19 and the recent winter storm, have had a tremendous impact on the blood supply.
Regional Director Brandon Baker says they are in a desperate and critical need for people to come out and donate.
“So we can make sure that we’re providing blood products to our hospitals and our communities throughout to make sure that those patients know that if a blood product is needed to prolong or save their lives that blood product is there for them,” Baker said.
Dr. Louie Crook at St. Francis Medical Center says they are low on product and had products trucked in from several hundred miles away.
“Because of life-saving need. Sometimes you have people that come in urgently and need blood to sustain life. We have traumas. We have certain conditions with people bleeding. There are certain conditions where people have some type of disease that destroys their blood. Or, they don’t have blood and it’s very critical,” Crook said.
Community members are urged to donate if they are eligible. Robert Williamson has been donating every two weeks for about three to four years.
“You may be able to help somebody that you don’t even know. That’s the best thing about it. You help somebody else, and your paths may never cross. You never know. There may be people out there that I come in contact with that my platelets have helped. It just feels good,” Williamson said.
Officials say it’s so important because hospitals need blood for procedures, surgeries and treatments.
Without ample supply, it could mean having to reschedule. Potentially, putting people in danger and possibly a matter of life and death.
