Michigan’s blood supply is being negatively impacted by the winter weather conditions across the state, according to a release from a blood center.
Versiti Blood Center of Michigan said it is facing a shortage of blood and platelet donations due to appointment cancellations and is seeking help.
“The unrelenting winter weather is severely impacting the blood supply in Michigan,” Kristin Brenner, area vice president and senior director of blood operations at Versiti said in a release. “In the past few days, we’ve experienced hundreds of cancellations for blood donations, and we expect this trend to continue through the end of the week. We urge eligible donors to make an appointment to donate once the weather improves so our local hospitals have the necessary blood to care for patients in need.”
Versiti is especially seeking O-negative and O-positive blood donors. O-negative blood can be given to all patients and is often used in emergencies. O-positive blood can be given to anyone with a positive blood type.
According to the release, platelets are usable for five to seven days outside the body, which means they need constant platelet donations.
Where can I donate blood?
Versiti has a donation center in Metro Detroit at 29305 Orchard Lake Road in Farmington Hills.
There are also centers across the state at the following locations:
- Gaylord: 133 W Main St., Suite 101
- Grand Rapids: 1036 Fuller Avenue NE
- Grandville: 3140 Wilson Avenue SW
- St. Joseph: 2710 Cleveland Avenue
- Portage: 524 E. Milham Avenue
- Saginaw: 1771 Tittabawassee Road
- Bay City: 1017 N. Johnson Street
- Midland: 825 E. Main Street
- Traverse City: 2575 Aero Park Drive
- Farmington Hills: 29305 Orchard Lake Road
Who can donate blood?
Any who is 17 or older can donate if they meet the requirements.
Donors who are 16 and older can donate with parental consent.
What items should I bring with me when donating blood?
People should bring a photo ID with their date of birth on it when they donate blood.
Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.
For more information about donating blood, visit Versiti’s website.
