OBI wants to ‘beef up’ blood supply

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Our Blood Institute hopes to “Beef Up the Blood Supply” ahead of the Labor Day weekend by offering an all-beef hot dog and a chance to win $500 worth of beef to all potential donors who visit OBI donor centers statewide today.

Donors will receive a glow-in-the-dark “Got Guts?” T-shirt, an all-beef hot dog and be entered for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate in beef at any of its centers, including the one located at 149 Section Line Road, Suite G, in Hot Springs, according to a news release.

“Blood never stops,” says Kasinda Brown, volunteer coordinator at Hot Springs OBI. “With more people traveling and on the road, people are prone to do silly things and accidents happen and so we’re trying to beef up the blood supply before there’s actually a dire need for it.”

The effort is aimed at bolstering the blood supply to address any possible need over Labor Day weekend, when many accidents often occur.

“So, we’ve asked donors to come on in, so we’re prepared for tomorrow, so when accidents do happen we have some blood there,” said Brown.

Another timely cause for drawing blood is the start of Sickle Cell Awareness Month in September. The disease, which disproportionately affects Black people and to a lesser extent Hispanic people, requires lots of blood for treatment.

An estimated 1 in 13 Black babies in the United States are born with the trait, or one out of every 365 African American children.

“This disease is caused by a mutation in the hemoglobin gene,” said Brown. “Which is responsible for producing a protein that carries oxygen throughout the body.”

Patients can spend months in the hospital waiting for blood over the course of their lives, according to OBI. Sickle Cell Anemia can cause lethargy, episodes of pain, swelling of hands and feet, frequent infections and can even break apart and block blood passages leading to death.

The Institute seeks donors of Black and Hispanic heritage as they are “often the best match for an SCD patient in need of a transfusion.”

In general, fewer people make time to donate blood around holiday weekends, the release said.

“Although we have fun with this event, saving the lives of our family, friends and neighbors is a serious matter,” Dr. John Armitage, OBI president and CEO, said in the release. “We are grateful for our donors who take time before Labor Day weekend to help us prepare for any emergency that may occur.”

Anyone who is healthy and 16 or older can give blood. Blood can be donated every 56 days and platelets can be given as often as every seven days, up to 24 times a year.

Appointments to donate can be made online at obi.org or by calling 877-340-8777.