By Staff
BARE SHELVES United Blood Services has five bags of 0-Positive blood on hand. A Relay for Life blood drive will be held today, from 1 p.m.-8 p.m., at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center's fitness center to help alleviate the shortage. Photo by Carisa McCain/The Meridian Star
By Chris Whitaker / staff writer
May 30, 2002
The lives of accident victims and cancer patients are at risk when the supply of donated blood drops and United Blood Services in Meridian is reporting a shortage of more than 150 units.
UBS Community Relations Representative Jane Smith said too few people are giving the gift of life.
Deenie Meadows, blood bank supervisor at Anderson, says a lot of blood is used during emergency surgeries.
While nobody has been killed in a traffic accident this week, there have been four serious accidents on Interstate 20/59.
Clayton Cody, lab manager at Rush Foundation Hospital, said surgeries sometimes have to be canceled because of low blood supplies.
Zula Kimble, lab manager at Anderson, said the blood shortage is a constant semi-crisis.
Kimble said it takes 72 hours to process an unit of blood, a delay that could mean the difference between life and death.
The most recent shortage is a result of increased demand and low donations for the month. A "Relay for Life" blood drive will take place today, from 1 p.m.-8 p.m. at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center's fitness center.
United Blood Services is asking "Relay for Life" teams to send at least one representative to donate blood. Smith said UBS has no "O" blood types one of the most commonly needed.
For information, call UBS at 482-2482.