‘Please consider a donation’: Blood drive draws donors, more needed

Cold, rainy weather did not stop residents from giving the gift of life during a blood drive event on Monday.

The need for blood is concerning, according to Dr. Dion Franga, medical director of the Regional Medical Center’s Trauma Program.

He said the coronavirus pandemic has decreased the number of people donating to RMC and the American Red Cross.

“That puts us in a critical situation with regard for the need for blood,” Franga said.

The blood drive was held Monday morning at South Carolina Surgical, located at 3045 St. Matthews Road in Orangeburg.

Orangeburg resident Dianne Haddock was among those who turned out at RMC’s bloodmobile on Monday.

“I knew there was a need after not being able to get the people to donate during the virus and my favorite doctor, Dr. Dion Franga, requested people come out and give. So I did,” she said.

Haddock was not a first-time blood donor and said she experienced no hesitancy with giving, particularly since people never know when they or others they know may need blood.

“I hope they think of their families and the need there may be – hopefully not – for their family members,” she said.

Franga said, “We need on average probably about 100 units of blood per month at our hospital.”

RMC’s Blood Assurance Program exists to meet the transfusion needs of RMC patients. The program depends on the active participation of community members to meet the needs of patients.

Each blood donation can help save up to three lives, and blood can be donated every eight weeks.

The hospital has a donor center and a bloodmobile for scheduled blood drives.

All blood collected stays in the community.

Franga said with the support of David Southerland, RMC’s president and chief executive officer, the Blood Assurance Program has held blood drives across the community to increase blood donations.

About 30 units were collected in December, with approximately 90 collected in January.

“That makes a substantial difference for us in terms of what we require and need from the Red Cross. We’re demanding less from the Red Cross, and that means the Red Cross has blood available for other areas,” he said.

Franga continued, “We thought it would be a good idea to put one together in early February and really increase the volume of blood donated. Patients can still go to the hospital to donate.

“We hope to have some after-hour donation times and bloodmobile set ups.”

Kellie Winters, lab manager at the RMC’s blood donor center, said, “Current donor center hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, but we are looking to expand those hours a little bit. We don’t have that schedule determined yet, but if anybody wants to donate outside of those hours, they can call and we can accommodate them.”

Donors can call 803-395-2824 to set up an appointment.

Winters said O-positive and O-negative blood types are the most critically needed blood types, “but we need all blood types, including A and B.”

She said the pandemic has affected the volume of blood donated.

“People aren’t getting out and donating. People are sick, so they deferred. It’s a huge impact, and we’ve been at critical levels for some time,” Winters said.

She said, “Our blood strictly comes from our donors here and the Red Cross. We have been able to maintain an adequate blood supply. Red Cross has put some limitations, but if we have patient needs, they will give us more. So they have been able to keep us supplied when we get low.”

RMC tries to have two blood drives a month.

“Sometimes we’re able to meet that, sometimes we’re not. There has just been a low turnout at some of them. I would say please consider a donation. When (people) live in a community, their blood can go to save the lives of a loved one, a friend, a family member, a neighbor,” Winters said.

“Blood goes a long way for the community. Also, if they have a friend or family member in the hospital who is receiving blood and they donate in their name, the patient will receive credit for every unit that is donated in their name. So that helps as well,” she said.

People who donate at least one unit of blood annually to the Blood Assurance Program receive coverage for all their blood needs and their dependents’ needs from the program at RMC for one year.

Joette Kittrell, RN, an office manager at South Carolina Surgical, said, “All types of blood are welcome and very essential not just for surgery.

“Sometimes people can have chronic anemia, where they may need blood replacement, or sometimes during certain cancer treatments they will need to have blood transfusions done.”

She encourages individuals to support blood donation efforts in the future.

“It’s very worthwhile,” Kittrell said.