Summer Brings Blood Shortage

DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES BY VISITING LARK LEE COUNTY DOT ORG. THE AMERICAN RED CROSS HAS DECLARED AN EMERGENCY BLOOD SHORTAGE AFTER THE NATIONAL BLOOD SUPPLY. I FELL BY NEARLY 25% OVER THE SUMMER. THE IMPACT IS FELT PARTICULARLY HARD HERE IN FLORIDA WHERE SUMMER TRAVEL HAS SEVERELY DECREASED BLOOD DONATIONS. THOUSANDS OF DONATIONS OF BLOOD AND PLATELETS ARE NEEDED EVERY WEEK TO SUPPORT HEALTH PROGRAMS, INCLUDING SURGERIES, CANCER CARE AND TRAUMA PATIENTS. WGCUS CARY BARBOR SPOKE WITH LAURA ROSEN, THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS MANAGER FOR THE NAPLES, COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER TO LEARN MORE. >> OKAY. SO TELL ME THE STATUS OF THE BLOOD SHORTAGE IN THE PLATELET SHORTAGE IN COLLIER COUNTY. WE ARE CRITICALLY LOW ON PLATELETS AND EVERY BLOOD TYPE AND PARTICULARLY O NEGATIVE THE MOST. AND THAT IS IT AS A RESULT OF THE. DECLINE IN DONORS AND THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN USAGE. UNPRECEDENTED INCREASES THAT WE'VE SEEN FOR PATIENT NEED. SO WE TRADITIONALLY SEE THIS. EVERY SUMMER. BUT IT'S IT'S REALLY BEEN DIFFICULT. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN REPORTS ABOUT BUT CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY BEING SHORT AND RED CROSS IS REPORTING UNPRECEDENTED. LEVELS OF DECLINE IN DONATIONS BY 25%. SO WE'RE WE'RE NO DIFFERENT THAN REALLY EVERY OTHER PART OF THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. >> AND TELL ME JUST A LITTLE BIT IF SOMEONE HAS NEVER GIVEN BEFORE, WHAT WHAT ARE THE ELIGIBILITY IS AND WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT DO THEY NEED TO DO TO GIVE? >> WELL, THEY HAVE TO BE AT LEAST 16 WITH PARENT CONSENT. SO IF YOU BRING A PARENT WITH US ON THE CONSENT, IT MAKES IT EASIER. THERE IS NO UPPER AGE LIMIT TO DONATE. OKAY. AND MOST MEDICATIONS ARE FINE. WE DO HAVE A SPECIFIC LIST THAT PEOPLE CAN READ AND SEE IF THEY ARE TAKING THOSE IN THE TIME FRAMES ALLOTTED THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE ARE THE BIG THINGS. MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO GIVE IF THEY'VE IF THEY'RE ON A CERTAIN MEDICATION, A LOT OF THE COMMON ONES LIKE BLOOD PRESSURE, CHOLESTEROL, ASPIRIN, THOSE ARE ALL FINE AN REPLACEMENT IS FINE ITS WE JUST HAVE A SPECIFIC LIST FOR THAT. >> AND IS THERE SOME SOME PLACE THAT PEOPLE CAN FIND THAT LIST? >> YES, WE HAVE A COMPLETE SECTION AND ARE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON OUR WEBSITE AT WWW DOT. GIVE BLOOD C D C DOT ORG. OKAY. AND HE'S LIKE ME. >> IT'S IT'S A IT'S NOT PAINFUL. PUBLIC CAN SEE IS THAT IT'S NOT A YES, I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE HAVE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT IT, BUT >> YOU GET COOKIES AFTER >> IT'S IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL. I MEAN, I LIKE IT BECAUSE YOU GET YOU CAN SPEND 5 TO 7 MINUTES PUMPING OUT OF BAGHDAD AND JUST REST. I KNOW THAT I AM BUSY ALL THE TIME AND MOVING ALL THE TIME. SO IT'S IT'S KIND OF NICE. IT'S LIKE MY LITTLE CHILL AREA FOR A WHILE. AND IT DOESN'T. IT'S A QUICK PENSION, THEN THAT IT DOESN'T HURT THE REST OF THE TIME. AND YOU GET A REALLY NICE. THANK YOU. GIFT IN THOSE VERY DEPENDING ON WHEN AND WHERE PEOPLE DONATE. BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST REWARD FOR ME IS. NO. AND I'M HELPING 3 PEOPLE. AND BECAUSE I'M ON THE PORTAL, I GET NOTICES WHEN MY BLOOD IS BEING SENT TO THE HOSPITAL FOR A PATIENT, WHICH IS I THINK IS AMAZING. AND ALSO IT'S IT'S JUST AN AMAZING THING THAT YOU THAT YOUR BODY WILL JUST REPLENISH ITSELF. IT'S NOT. >> IT'S REALLY LIKE NO SKIN OFF OUR NOSE, SO TO SPEAK, TO GIVE BLOOD BECAUSE MY BODY WILL JUST RECREATE IT. IT'S IT'S IF YOU CONSIDER IT LIKE AN OIL CHANGE FOR YOUR BODY, THEY'RE GETTING RID OF RED CELLS, THEN YOUR BODY IS GOING TO GENERATE NEW ONES AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE OXYGEN AND IT'S IT. IT'S JUST REALLY GOOD FOR YOU. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN TESTOSTERONE THERAPY AND THEIR DOCTORS WANT THEM TO DONATE ANYWAY. AND SO THAT'S REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR YOU. CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION AS WELL. SO IT'S IT'S KIND OF A WIN-WIN. YOU YOU KNOW, THAT BLOOD WILL BE THERE WHEN YOU GO TO THE HOSPITAL, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR BODY. AND YOU ALSO KNOW THAT YOU'RE HELPING SOMEBODY IN THAT JUST. IT AMAZES ME THE FEELING THAT YOU GET FOR 4. WHEN YOU DONATE. >> YEAH, THAT'S GREAT. ALL RIGHT. LAURA ROSEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR