GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Many people donate blood year-round, but during the holidays, and especially during Michigan’s winter storms, there’s often a shortage. So, as winter weather returns, the negative consequences of that are two-fold when it comes to the supply of blood in Michigan. There are more accidents and more patients in need of blood, but less donations because people can't get out to give.
Ellen Conrad donates blood for the people who need it most. “They’re in a lot more pain than you’ll ever have from having a needle stuck in your arm to donate,” Conrad said.
Conrad has been donating blood for over 20 years. “I was hoping to get to my 10 gallons by the end of this year, but I think I’ll reach it in February.”
Even Michigan winters can't keep Conrad from making a trip to donate whole blood. "When I get here, my hands are always freezing, and I always worry about whether I’ll be able to donate because I’m concerned my hemoglobin won’t be high enough,” Conrad said.
Martin Hillard is another regular donor. Every two weeks, Hillard donates three units of platelets. “They call it a blood bank for a reason," Hillard said. "You make a deposit, and maybe someday you'll need to make a withdrawal.”
All blood donations are crucial because the need for blood never runs out — but the blood might.
Dawn Kaiser, Director of Donor Services at Versiti Blood Center of Michigan, says that due to West Michigan’s first winter storm of the season, their inventory has dropped significantly. “Over the past week, we had hundreds of units cancel, and many donors didn’t show up,” Kaiser said.
To meet the demand, Versiti needs to collect over 500 units of blood every day across the state, but because of the snowstorm, "...we only collected between 200 and 300 units of blood," Kaiser said.
Some people want to donate, but can’t; this is due to reasons like travel, medications, or insufficient red blood cells. So, how do you know if you are eligible to donate?
According to the American Red Cross, you can donate every 56 days, up to six times per year. You must be in good health, with no underlying transferable diseases or illnesses that can be passed to a recipient, and in the state of Michigan, you must be at least 17 years old.
As Kaiser says, when there’s a shortage of blood, it’s not just a Versiti problem — it’s a community problem.
If you’d like to donate blood through Versiti, click here to find the location closest to you, along with their hours and availability.
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