Over 600 donors a day … That’s the number of people needed to keep the blood supply in the state of Michigan stable and provide for those who need it most.
Versiti Blood Center – which serves Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, and Indiana – operates a local non-profit blood center in Bay City that supplies blood products to the whole state.
Julia Sabatino, the field marketing coordinator for Michigan, says blood cannot be manufactured in a lab, and cannot be replicated, so donors rolling up their sleeves is the only way to ensure a consistent supply.
One donor can potentially save the lives of three people, Sabatino says, and there are more ways than one to help.
With blood in high demand, there are always certain blood types that are required more often than others.
Of the eight blood types, O positive and O negative are much sought after. People with O positive blood can donate to any other positive blood type. People with O negative blood are universal donors
Sabatino encourages people with all types of blood to donate.
“I would say right now, we’re encouraging anyone to donate because you’re someone’s type. All blood types are necessary all the time.”
With summer coming, Sabatino says an already short supply tends to diminish even more as schools go on break and people go on vacation.
“We have a lot of high schoolers who will continue to donate throughout the school year. With those ending when summer comes, and people going on vacation, and being out of town, summer can be a more challenging time for us to collect blood,” she says.
Sabatino encourages even people who have been turned away before to consider donating now.
“There definitely are reasons why people might be deferred, or not eligible,” she says, but don’t make assumptions.
“You could be deferred one time because your iron’s not high enough or something like that, but that doesn’t mean you’re deferred forever … I always suggest people come in and try it.”
She also reminds people to check the website or talk to the staff at the center if they have questions about eligibility. There are a lot of myths out there about who can and who can’t donate.
“Tattoos are a big one where people think that you can’t donate,” she says. But if the tattoo was done in a licensed facility, you might be able to donate blood.
Some illnesses and medications also may make people ineligible to donate, but it’s worth asking. The first step in donating blood is a conversation about your health. That’s the time to talk about specific concerns.
On average, nearly 40% of people can donate, but only 5% do donate.
In the Great Lakes Bay Region, there are several blood drives to participate in over the next few months. On the
Versiti website, there is a complete list.
Sabatino says all donations of blood in Michigan stay in Michigan, so donating makes a difference for someone in need locally.
“All the blood that we collect serves patients and hospitals here in Michigan. It’s needed here in the state of Michigan every day.”
Right now, Versiti is offering a $15 gift card for donations.
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