CRUCIAL SHORTAGE HOSPITAL SEEKS BLOOD DONATIONS.Byline: Peggy Hager Staff Writer LANCASTER - Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley Hospital issued an urgent appeal for blood donations “Give blood” redirects here. For other uses, see Give blood (disambiguation). Blood donation is a process by which a blood donor voluntarily has blood drawn for storage in a blood bank, generally for subsequent use in a blood transfusion. , especially of blood type O. The hospital experiences a shortage of blood for transfusions every summer due to regular donors going on vacation, but accident victims and an increase in surgeries used more blood than anticipated. ``This is our worst,'' said Janet Mayer, manager of the hospital's blood donor center and assistant director of the blood laboratory. ``Usually we are able to get by with our regular donors. Our need is up. We've used more blood than we ordinarily or·di·nar·i·ly adv. 1. As a general rule; usually: ordinarily home by six. 2. In the commonplace or usual manner: ordinarily dressed pedestrians on the street. do.'' Due to the shortage, the center has added additional hours this week for donations. The center will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. The blood donor center is located in the outpatient services outpatient services Hospital-based services Managed care Medical and other services provided, to a nonadmitted Pt, by a hospital or other qualified facility–eg, mental health clinic, rural health clinic, mobile X-ray unit, free-standing dialysis unit Examples lobby at the hospital, 1600 W. Ave. J. The center averages 25 to 30 donors per day, but officials are trying to get 40 donors for each of the extra days. ``If we can get enough donors to come in those days, we won't experience a shortage,'' Mayer said. The hospital uses 900 pints of blood a month. Usually the hospital has about 40 units of O-positive blood in stock, but Thursday had only eight pints of O-positive on the shelf. Fifty percent of the blood Antelope Valley Hospital uses is received from the American Red Cross American Red Cross: see Red Cross. , but that organization is also experiencing shortages, Mayer said. If the shortage becomes severe, the hospital will cancel elective surgeries elective surgery Surgery Any operation that can be performed with advanced planning–eg, cholecystectomy, hernia repair, colonic resection, coronary artery bypass . Anyone age 18 and over is eligible to give blood. With parental permission, 17-year-olds can donate. The donor must weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health with no unstable health conditions or illness. One pint pint: see English units of measurement. of blood is collected at each blood donation. For an appointment call (661) 949-5622. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are also welcome. CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- 2 -- color) A scale, at right, weighs the amount of blood drawn from donor Anne Travold's arm, above, in the outpatient center of the Antelope Valley Hospital. (3 -- color) RN Kathy Perkins, left, draws blood from donor Freida Jackson of Rosamond at the Antelope Valley Hospital's outpatient center, where officials have put out an appeal for donors. John Lazar/Staff Photographer |
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