Regional blood centers in need of donatons

In the summer, blood centers carry 20 percent less blood than in other months according to the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center (MVRBC). However, this seasonal dry period has nothing to do with the blood shortage that these centers go through. The real reason stems from the sporadic scheduling that the summer months bring for families and individuals alike.

'The reason is just summer schedules,” Lori Arguello, marketing manager at MVRBC said. 'People go on vacation, they are in a different mindset in terms of how they are spending their time; it's really that summer vacation mode.”

Another reason that this shortage develops, goes back to the uber-active blood drives that Iowa schools participate in multiple times per year. The MVRBC needs to constantly resupply and be ready in the result of one of their hospital partners needing a large amount of blood; these school events do a bulk of this heavy lifting.

Arguello notes that most of the blood needed each year is used to help cancer patients with their recovery. So in hopes to counteract this shortage that the center sees each summer, the MVRBC has developed extra incentives for donation.

'What we do specifically this summer is we have this promotion where you get a $10 gift card,” Arguello said. 'You can get one to Amazon, Dairy Queen, Casey's General Store, and Domino's Pizza.”

Although the sporadic summer schedules can shrink blood supply, Arguello believes that their particular donor base is dedicated enough to come in whenever they might need it the most.

'Once we let people know there is a need for blood donations, we are fortunate we live in a part of the country where people turn out to give blood and help others,” Arguello said.

As of June 21, the American Red Cross has a warning on their website homepage about low blood supply and urges donors to highly consider helping out.

'Blood supplies are dangerously low,” American Red Cross said. 'There is an emergency for blood and platelet donors. Please give now to ensure blood is available for patients facing trauma and other life-threatening situations.”

Reported on WGLT.org, David Laube, board member of Red Cross Central, maintains that the severe weather such as tornadoes can lead to a higher need for blood during the summer months. And having to deal with flooding can cause donors and donation centers to be displaced.