Wyoming experiencing emergency blood shortage

CASPER, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) – The state of Wyoming is experiencing an emergency blood shortage. The demand for blood is high, and without donations patients can face life-threatening consequences.

Tori Robbins, the communications manager for Vitalant Blood Donation says, “If the public isn’t donating and we don’t have the blood that we need for the hospitals that we serve, that could force doctors to make delays in patient care, schedule surgeries farther out than they had originally thought and unfortunately if it gets us in a situation where if we don’t bounce back it could get us in a situation where doctors are making difficult choices over who is receiving blood and who isn’t able to.”

Vitalant typically sees a dip in donations during the summer months, which is the same time that demand for blood increases. Every year nearly four and a half million Americans require a blood transfusion. A single pint of blood has the potential to save three lives. There is no way to replicate blood for patient use, which makes it imperative that folks donate.

Donating blood is simple and can save lives. To find out if you’re eligible to donate or to make an appointment, check out vitalant.org.

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