Harsh Winter Took its Toll on Blood Donations, Too

Many have seen the notices around Stratford or driven past an American Red Cross Blood Drive event. Recently, Stratford Patch visited such a blood drive at 345 Second Hill Lane in Stratford to find out more about the event itself and the American Red Cross’ role in the community.

Despite the Connecticut headquarters of the American Red Cross being in Farmington, union employees work hard staffing the blood drives across the state. Monday through Friday there up to 14 blood drives running at once and up to six on a Saturday and Sunday statewide.

Pat Patonelli, Collections Team Supervisor who has been with the American Red Cross for eight years, told Patch that “the American Red Cross supplies blood and blood products to customers in 32 Connecticut hospitals and acute care centers. Between 500 and 600 pints of blood are needed per day to keep these facilities stocked.”

The American Red Cross as a whole is responsible for approximately “52 percent of the nation’s blood supply, coast to coast.”

Chris Holschlag, a registered nurse who has been with the American Red Cross for seven years, anticipated “46 productive” draws from a recent Stratford blood drive.

Each draw yields one pint, which Patonelli said is utilized in a number of ways. “Not every unit is transfused as whole blood. The blood is separated into red blood cells, platelets and plasma,” each of which is used to perform difference services.

Each blood product has a different storage requirement and shelf life. Patonelli told Stratford Patch that red blood cells for example, which are “used in trauma units and operating rooms, may be refrigerated for up to 30 days.”

Plasma, which is utilized in the healing process (particularly in skin grafts for burn victims), may be frozen for up to a year. Platelets however, which are necessary for the “treatment of cancer patients” who loose their ability to clot and therefore stop bleeding, only last “five days and need to be kept at room temperature.”

The recent bout of snow storms had a toll on meeting Connecticut blood demands. “We have just come out of a blood emergency, largely due to appointment cancellations due to the snow,” says Patonelli.

Holschlag said that “a large percentage of donors are high school students and members of the senior population, many of whom are repeat donors.” But only five percent of the population donates blood regularly.

Christine Doolan, a regular blood donor, told us that she tries to “donate at every chance I get. It is an excellent way to give back.”

Prospective donors of at least 17-years-old are welcome to attend a Red Cross blood drive event without an appointment and complete a brief screening process to ascertain if they are a candidate for blood donation.

The donor must be over 110 lbs and in reasonably good health. Among others, recent travel, body-mass indexes and hemoglobin levels may disqualify a candidate from donating. The average donation appointment for approved donors lasts approximately one hour.

For regular donors such as Doolan, the American Red Cross calls to remind her of when she is able to donate. “They call to remind me ... I make an appointment and give a little bit of my time.” She seemed quite comfortable, reading her book when Patch spoke to her.

The most recent Stratford American Red Cross blood drive was March 2.

Visit http://www.redcrossblood.org for more information about the American Red Cross, upcoming events, how to become a Red Cross Volunteer and more.