Lane Blood Center in Eugene has issued an urgent plea for donations.
Blood collections tend to drop off in the summer, mostly due to school breaks and donors leaving for vacation.
Andrea Chiller is Regional Director of Donor Services for Bloodworks Northwest, the parent company of Lane Blood Center. She says, unfortunately, hospitals usually have a higher demand for blood in the summer.
CHILLER: “There’s a lot more trauma. When people travel, they’re more active and so, there are a lot more emergencies. Hospitals scheduling – there’s more organ transplants happen in the summer.”
Chiller says donors traveling to Zika or malaria affected countries are deferred and this places additional stress on the blood center’s donor pool. But, she says instead of assuming they can't donate, always check first.
CHILLER: “They think they have medical reasons or travel reasons. I would just encourage people to call and check because those eligibility requirements change all the time. Talk to our trained staff, they can give you an answer about whether or not you can donate.”
All blood donors who register to donate through Lane Blood Center will receive a free pass to the Lane County Fair. To schedule a donation, call 541-484-9111 or go to laneblood.org.