Hurricane Helene Disrupts Blood Supply; Donors Needed

Blood Assurance is in immediate need of blood and platelet donors after the devastating landfall of Hurricane Helene and its impact on the greater Atlanta area.

The storm has caused widespread cancellations of appointments and blood drives across our service area. In addition, Blood Assurance is on standby this week with the Blood Emergency Readiness Corps, to provide immediate support to communities in Florida if needed.

BERC, made up of 35 community blood centers across the United States, collects extra units of blood on a rotating basis to be ready for disasters like this. These life-saving donations are crucial in times of crisis.

In order to recover from the cancellations, and to be ready to respond, Blood Assurance will be opening our Rome and Cartersville locations Sunday, Sept. 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

They are in critical need of O-Negative, O-Positive, and platelet donors. O-Negative is the universal blood type, often used in emergencies, while O-Positive is the most common blood type in the U.S. Platelets help control bleeding and are vital in emergency situations. They are also looking for AB Plasma donors, as AB is the universal plasma type.

Now through Sept. 30, donors will be entered to win a $500 Visa gift card.

You can visit bloodassurance.org/schedule , call 800-962-0628, or text BAGIVE to 999777, to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are also accepted.

To be eligible to donate, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids and eat a hearty meal prior to donating.