Heartland Blood Centers in critical need of all blood types
Heartland Blood Centers is in critical need of all blood types to meet the demands of hospitals in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana.
As of Thursday morning, Heartland Blood Center's inventory of blood components was below a one-day supply due to a spike of up to 50 percent in blood utilization of certain blood types by Chicago hospitals.
Heartland is the main supplier of blood to 71 hospitals in the greater Chicago area.
According to Katie Freeman, manager of donor recruitment, Heartland needs additional donors to meet the needs of local hospitals.
The request for blood products increased in early August and has yet to drop to normal levels.
While specific reasons are not often provided by hospitals, scenarios include car accidents, shootings, cancer treatment, newborn illness and surgical complications are potential drains on the blood supply.
Freeman said at the same time, blood donations have been weakened by Zika virus protocols put in place by the Food and Drug Administration, delaying regular donation for those who have traveled to specific areas in Florida.
Donors who traveled to Florida and other regions outside the country must delay donation for 28 days.
Additionally, Freeman said vacation travel and college and high school summer breaks have decreased the number of donors available.
“Patients in emergency situations will use the blood already on the shelves but elective surgeries will be put off if our blood inventory does not improve, as we will not be able to supply blood to hospitals that rely on donor blood,” Freeman added.
Heartland asks that all healthy and eligible donors of all blood types visit one of the 13 donor centers or mobile blood drives.
Call (800) 7TO-GIVE (800) 786-4483, visit www.heartlandbc.org or text APPT to 444-999 to schedule.
Heartland Donor Centers include:
• Aurora, 1200 N. Highland Ave.
• Bloomingdale, 204 Gary Ave.
• Crystal Lake, 6296 Northwest Hwy.
• DeKalb, 2428 Sycamore Road
• Elgin, 1140 N. McLean Blvd.
• Geneva, 2000 W. Route 38, Unit 1E.
• Highland, Ind., 2126 45th St.
• Joliet, 121 Springfield
• Naperville, 1297 S. Naper Blvd. (Market Meadows Shopping Center)
• Tinley Park, 16100 Centennial Circle
• Westmont, 6317 S. Fairview
• Winfield, 27W281 Geneva Road
• Yorkville, 728 Veterans Parkway, Suite 112