LOCAL BLOOD SUPPLIES SHORT; DRIVES SCHEDULED IN AREA

The blood supply at the Red Cross blood distribution center in Cape Girardeau is critically low, with less than one day's supply on the shelves.

It has caused no major problems so far, said David Palmer, donor recruitment representative for the 15-county Bootheel area covered by the Cape Girardeau office of the Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region. But if there were a multiple-injury accident, an explosion or some other disaster, the local supply might not be adequate, he said.

In such a case, blood could be rushed from St. Louis, but the blood center there is also experiencing shortages, Palmer said.

The Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region based in St. Louis is one of the 27 of 37 regions nationally that have less than one day's supply of type O blood, the universal blood type, said the American Red Cross

"Depending on the type of blood, there have been times in the last week when we have had almost nothing on the shelves," Palmer said.

He said the blood distribution center has been able to fill minimum requests from hospitals in the area but no more than minimum orders.

Representatives from both St. Francis Medical Center and Southeast Missouri Hospital said patient needs are being met and there has been no rescheduling of surgeries.

"So far the shortage has meant that we can't keep extra units in stock," said Sherry Schloss, a medical technologist at the blood bank at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

The danger is that a major accident could put the area in a critical situation, said St. Francis spokesperson Kim Groves.

A combination of factors contributed to the blood shortage, Palmer said.

Lower-than-normal collections in November and early December meant reduced supplies going into the holiday season, which is traditionally a slow time for blood donations, Palmer said. Then the flu hit the area, and that has reduced collections for early January, Palmer said. On top of all that, January is generally a high-blood-use month because of scheduled surgeries, he said.

"When you have high use combined with low collections, you have problems," Palmer said.

That makes upcoming blood drives especially important, Palmer said. This area doesn't have a full-time blood-collection center. It depends on blood drives to fill its needs.

"Drives vary. The minimum goal is 25 donations, but some go over 100 donations," Palmer said. The KFVS drive, which will be held at West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau Jan. 20 through 22, is expected to yield at least 400 units of blood, and drives in other cities in the television station's viewing areas should contribute another 800 units.

"We could not provide blood for the area without the volunteer groups and the drives they put on," Palmer said.

GIVING BLOOD

The American Red Cross along with local sponsors is planning the following blood drives in January:

THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, JAN. 20, 21, 22

KFVS 12 Heartland blood drive

Location: West Park Mall

Time: Jan. 20 - 1 to 6 p.m.; Jan 21 - 3 to 8 p.m.; Jan. 22 - 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 26

Cape Girardeau Community blood drive

Location: Cape Girardeau Senior Center, 921 N. Clark

Time: 2 to 7 p.m.

FRIDAY, JAN. 28

Jackson Outreach Services blood drive

Location: Jackson Outreach Services, 410 W. Main, Jackson

Time: 2 to 6 p.m.