The signs outside of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Rhinebeck read, “Urgent, Blood Shortage,” and a number of blood drives were scheduled throughout the Hudson Valley last week.
In other words, it’s a desperate time for blood centers.
“There are times when the blood supply is so short that hospitals actually cancel elective surgeries,” said Reenie Ball, a nine-year Red Cross employee.
Ball, and a staff primarily from the Albany area, traveled to Rhinebeck on Jan. 4 for a blood drive hosted by the church; the drive is the first of four that Good Shepherd holds throughout the year.
“Based on our donations from our October drive last year, we helped 48 people,” said Tom Norton, a member of Good Shepherd church.
In addition to donating his time to host the church’s quarterly blood drives, Norton donates his blood. In fact, according to his donor card, he has been donating regularly since 1977, and does not plan on stopping. Though Norton has never needed a blood transfusion, like many, he knows people who have. In fact, according the Red Cross, one in every three people will need donated blood in their lifetime.
With blood transfusions occurring nearly every two seconds, and with 60 percent of the United States population eligible to donate, one would think that blood is readily available. Unfortunately, of the 60 percent of eligible donors, only about 5 percent donate their blood, Red Cross officials said.
So why don’t more people donate? It’s Peggy Kent’s job to find out. Kent is the Red Cross district marketing manager for the six counties of the Hudson Valley.
“Every day it is my job to convince people to provide blood, or to remind those who do to donate, but some people just aren’t comfortable with it,” she said. “And others? You are asking people to take at least an hour out of their day to save someone they will never see. It’s a bit altruistic,” she said.
Tough time of year
She also explained that cyclically, the holidays are simply a bad time for blood banks. “We’re coming out of two weeks of holiday season. Schools, colleges, and businesses are shut down … those are places visited on a regular basis to collect units,” Kent said.
Additionally, she said that weather conditions impact blood supplies. For instance, if Buffalo gets a snowstorm, collections are generally canceled there for the day. Further, on a national level, the flooding and tornados in the Midwest impact Midwestern blood banks.
And coverage is another factor.
Though Kent’s district is limited to six counties, the Hudson Valley district is just one part of a greater region, which extends as far south as the Bronx, and as far north as the Canadian border. So for Ball and her crew, traveling to Dutchess County was a welcome respite from some of their trips, even though their goal was not particularly high.
“Yesterday we were in Clifton Park, and we collected over 100 units,” Ball say, “Our goal today is 22.”
In addition to time of year, factors such as time of day, day of the week, and overall population density affect turnout rates, and so does one more thing – fear.
“People are afraid of what they don’t know,” said Kent. “It’s a 16-gauge needle – it isn’t exactly small.”
Rhinebeck resident Susan Gausepohl agreed. She’s been donating blood since she was 17 years old.
“I’ve done this a million times,” she said, “but there’s always that anticipation.”
She hasn’t ever needed a blood transfusion, and she isn’t a member of the Church of Good Shepherd, but she saw the signs outside and decided to stop in. She winced when the needle was inserted, but assured that it only hurt for a second. Afterwards she had juice and cookies, and went on her way.
I was inspired by her gesture of good faith, and decided that I too would give blood, for the very first time. After a brief interview, computer-survey, and finger-prick, I was ready to become a blood donor. I wasn’t just nervous – I was terrified. I’ve always been afraid of needles, but I had already taken the “First Time Blood Donor” sticker, and a free T-shirt – I was committed. I gasped when the needle was inserted. It hurt, but only for a second, just like Susan had said. It seemed that I was on the stretcher for hours, but realistically, it only took about five minutes to fill a pint bag and four vials. Afterward, I too had juice and cookies.
I had expected to feel dizzy or nauseated afterwards, but to my surprise I felt great. After all, I had a bright-red bandage around my arm, telling the world what I had just done, and I got a free sticker, T-shirt and cookies out of it. And if that weren’t enough, on my way out the door Norton reminded me, “You just saved three lives.”
For information on donating, onto http://www.donatebloodnow.org/ or check the calendar for upcoming collections.