Nonprofit holds blood drives in north central West Virginia amid blood shortage

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WBOY) — After announcing an emergency shortage of type O blood in July, nonprofit Vitalant is encouraging all available donors to give now.

Type O blood is the most transfused blood type, O-negative can be used to help any patient and O-positive can help any patient with A-positive, B-positive, AB-positive or O-positive blood. However, donations of all other blood types are also urgently needed.

Everyone who donates with Vitalant between July 28 and Aug. 29 will receive a $10 gift card through Donor Rewards and be entered into the $10,000 Grocery Giveaway. Officials emphasized that it only takes up to 10 minutes to save a life.

“We sit you down in a cot, tilt you back and insert a small needle. Up to ten minutes later you’ve given us that unit of blood,” Account Manager Rachel Bennet said. “We break it down into three components, red cells, platelets, plasma. Your red cells go to anybody that needs a blood transfusion or is having surgery. Your plasma goes to burn victims, and your platelets go to cancer patients and that’s how you save three lives with one donation.”

The next blood donation drive in north central West Virginia will be held in Buckhannon on Friday, Aug. 16 at Saint Joseph’s Hospital Conference Center from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Vitalant is also available at United Hospital Center in Bridgeport every other month.

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