Blood Supply Real Casualty of the Blizzard; Red Cross Asks for Platelet Donors.

Assignment Editors/Health/Medical Writers

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2001

Stanley Roberts, executive director of the American Red Cross Penn-Jersey Region, said today that without an immediate increase in platelet donations, patients could be severely impacted.

Platelets that were to have been collected Monday would normally be available Wednesday. Because of the storm and cancellations in advance of the snow, hospitals could start feeling the affects of a shortage by today or tomorrow.

"We have alerted hospitals that the distribution of blood, especially platelets and type O red cells, may be restricted," said Roberts.

Despite lower than expected snowfall locally, nearly 370 donations were lost on Monday, said Roberts. Additionally, 36 percent of the platelets needed for transfusion in the Greater Delaware Valley this week will not be available because other northeastern blood centers, who regularly send shipments of blood to Philadelphia, were unable to collect blood due to the weather. Severe winter weather in the Northeast caused nearly 6,000 donor appointments to be cancelled in New England, Connecticut, parts of Pennsylvania and New York.

Before the storm hit, the region's blood supply was fragile. The supply of type O red cells in 100 area hospitals was down by 700 units.

WHAT HELP IS NEEDED

Because platelets are in critical supply, the Red Cross is urgently seeking platelet pheresis donors and is expanding the hours of three donor centers to accommodate these special donations.

-- Platelet donors must have an appointment. Those who have given platelets in
the past, and others who would like to help, are urged to call 1-800-GIVE LIFE
(1-800-448-3543) and mention that you want to give platelets.

-- Whole blood donors, especially donors with type O who were unable to donate
yesterday or today, are asked to schedule an appointment to donate this week or
this weekend by calling 1-800-GIVE LIFE.

Donor center hours will be increased and some extra donation locations will be added to the schedule.

If you already had an appointment to donate platelets or whole blood this week, the American Red Cross urges you to keep that commitment to give.

Donating Platelets

Platelets are donated through a unique process called pheresis (fur-ee-sis). The donation itself takes approximately one and a half to two hours and fifteen minutes. During this time, you can sit back in a specially contoured chair, relax, watch movies or listen to music. While you relax, a little of your blood, less than one pint at a time, is drawn from your arm and passed through a highly sophisticated cell-separating machine which collects the platelets and returns the rest to you. Your blood never touches the machine. Your blood passes through a sterile, disposable kit that is used once --- for you --- and discarded.

Platelets prevent bleeding. Cancer patients who are receiving chemotherapy rely on platelets. Red cells carry oxygen. Patients with leukemia, other cancers, surgical patients, sickle cell patients and accident victims need these blood products.

The American Red Cross provides lifesaving blood, and medical and laboratory services to more than 100 hospitals in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey thanks to volunteer blood donors and volunteer blood drive sponsors.