The flooding has affected everyone in the area. Many events were cancelled or postponed. As clean up begins, there are countless volunteer opportunities available to help. Don’t forget that donating blood is one of them.
Paula Dayton, donor recruitment coordinator at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics DeGowin Blood Center, talks about blood donations:
How has the flooding affected blood donor recruitment?
We typically see a decrease in blood donations during the summer. With the flooding this year, blood drives have been canceled or postponed. People are busy with clean-up and relief work and these impact blood donations.
How is the DeGowin Center dealing with these cancellations?
We sent out an internal broadcast to the faculty and staff of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics asking for help. The response was great. Our schedules filled for the next several day and we added a blood drive in the hospital to accommodate the response. We had a summer in-house drive scheduled and we promoted that drive. We were extremely pleased with the turnout and can’t thank our wonderful UI Hospitals and Clinics employees enough. Local TV station, KCRG-TV9, helped promote our cause by scrolling our number for donations across the TV screen.
All that was great—BUT the need for blood goes on every day.
We understand why drives needed to be canceled and postponed—some people are dealing with other problems and this isn’t the right time for them. There were six UI freshman orientation blood drives scheduled for the end of June and into July, and all were canceled because they were scheduled in the Iowa Memorial Union. We then started calling groups and businesses that have helped us in the past, along with some new groups, to see if they could step in and give us a hand. We have been gratefully pleased with this response, as well
Where and when do the rescheduled blood drives take place?
- July 15 – Kirkwood Community College Commons, Iowa City, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- July 18 – Core Fitness, North Liberty, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
There are other great sponsors conducting blood drives at other times in July, and we are always grateful for their help. These four are the ones who stepped up at the last minute to help.
Who can be a blood donor?
If you are 17 years of age (16 with your parent’s or guardian’s consent), in general good health, free of cold and flu symptoms for five days, and weigh at least 110 pounds, you should be able to donate. If you have any questions about your eligibility, call the DeGowin Blood Center at 319-356-2058.
A lot of listeners may be volunteering in flooded areas and recently received a tetanus shot. Can they still donate if they have had an immunization recently?
A tetanus shot is not cause for deferral unless it is associated with an injury, and that would be evaluated based on whether the injury was healed or not.
How long does it take to donate blood?
Donating whole blood only takes about an hour. For an automated donation, allow about two hours.
Where does the donated blood go after each blood drive?
The blood collected by the DeGowin Blood Center is for patients in University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
Is there more of a need for donors during a holiday like July 4th?
Anytime we head into a long holiday weekend, we need to be sure there is adequate blood on our shelves to be prepared for whatever might happen. There is an increased risk for accidents and traumas during these major holidays. And along with that, there is a constant need for a fresh supply of blood.
Is there a number to call to schedule an appointment in the center?
To schedule an appointment, you can call the DeGowin Blood Center at 319-356-2058. You can also sign up online for blood drives.
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