State & Union: ConnectLife says area hospitals at critical blood levels

Western New York hospitals are critically short on O-negative blood, the universal donor type, and ConnectLife is putting out the call to find donors to roll up their sleeves to help save lives in their communities.

Hospitals need O-negative blood on hand for critical situations when a patient needs blood right away and their type isn’t known — but at the moment, the storage levels they try to maintain is dangerously short. For instance, Buffalo General Hospital aims to have 39 units of O-blood on the shelf for these situations. Currently, it only has 12.

ConnectLife supplies 70% of the blood at Western New York hospitals — including Olean General Hospital — and is asking donors, especially those with O-blood, to find a time to come in and help deal with this shortage that’s not unique to our area.

“Blood centers across the country are struggling to find the donors they need, especially with illnesses going around that lead to a lot of canceled appointments,” says Sarah Diina, senior director of marketing and community development at ConnectLife. “There’s no artificial way of making blood for these patients, so the only way they get this lifesaving treatment is if people come in and donate a piece of themselves to help a neighbor in need.”

All donors in the month of October will be entered into drawings for eight Ellicottville staycation packages, which include $250 worth of dining, lodging and entertainment. All donors also earn rewards points that can be exchanged in the online store for gift cards, clothing and more.

“As WNY’s only community blood bank it is our responsibility to answer the call for blood products to ANY hospital in need, but we need help from blood donors to do that,” Diana says.

Visit www.ConnectLifeGiveBlood.org or call (716) 529-4270 for drive locations and to make an appointment.