YRMC, Elks Lodge to host blood drives this month

Blood drives this month across the state of Arizona will see three locations in Yuma collecting donations during a tough season for blood banks.

“It’s always challenging to meet blood needs during the summer months, because our largest group of donors comes from teen donors who give at high school and college blood drives” said Sue Thew, a public relations representative for Vitalant, formerly known as United Blood Services. “But the situation is even more problematic when you get around a holiday week.”

According to Thew, it takes 600 donors per day to take care of the blood needs of the 62 hospitals in Arizona, and with people traveling and away from home, numbers have dipped well below where they should be.

This season also sees many Arizonans traveling on roadways, meaning that an increased number of car accidents put a strain on the blood supply as well, according to Thew.

Around the Fourth of July, Vitalant projected that hospital usage would outpace donations by 45%, and going into the week their Type O blood supplies were “critically low,” according to a release from the organization.

Thew recommends that even when people are on vacation, they should consider stopping in to donate blood.

Yuma Regional Medical Center will be hosting two blood drives this month: one on July 18 at Kokopelli Conference Room at 399 W. 32nd St. and one on July 19 at the Yuma Conference Room at 2400 S. Ave A. Both drives are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Elks Lodge at 1917 W. 32nd St. will be holding a blood drive on July 20 from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.