Blood still needed on the homefront
With war raging in Iraq, members of the local contingent of Blood Assurance are asking citizens not to forget the homefront when it comes time to give blood.
“With the war going on, there will be more people giving to the Red Cross,” said Blood Assurance recruiter Angela Butcher. “But people need to remember that supplies are needed here and we are the provider to facilities like River Park. We also supply Erlanger which is the hospital that gets a lot of our trauma victims from here.”
Butcher said she fears the war, combined with the approaching summer months, will cause continued shortages of blood here in Middle Tennessee.
“There’s a great demand for blood and supplies are almost always low,” Butcher said. “During summer we have automobile accidents and boat accidents where a lot of blood is needed. It seems sometimes people don’t seem that concerned until it happens to them or their loved ones and they need blood. Even if a person can give blood just once a year, that’s a great help.”
Butcher said she encourages companies, civic groups and churches to organize blood drives to help beef up the local supply. Blood Assurance offers mobile units which can conduct blood drives.
“We can pull right up to their front door,” Butcher said. “All they need to do is contact us and arrange it.”
Blood assurance routinely has drives at River Park Hospital. The next drive there is set for May 12 from noon until 6 p.m. Any organization or group interested in hosting a blood drive my do so by contacting Butcher at 668-3634.