Oklahoma Blood Institute Worries About Blood Donations In Winter Weather

Officials with the Oklahoma Blood Institute said they are concerned enough about Tuesday possible winter weather that are choosing to keep the doors open an hour later,

Sunday, January 30th 2011, 6:26 pm

By: News 9


Jon Jordan, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Officials with the Oklahoma Blood Institute said they are concerned enough about Tuesday possible winter weather that are choosing to keep the doors open an hour later, hoping it will be enough to carry them through the storm.

For some people donating blood is a habit and for others it's also personal.

"Just recently my father passed away from leukemia," said Dustin Conover, who is a blood donor.

Conover said because of donors like himself, his father's life extended.

"He was given an additional three months of life to spend with us and us to get to know him," Conover said.

But Conover and the Oklahoma Blood Institute are worried that a predicted winter storm could force people not to donate, leaving their chairs empty and causing their blood supply to dry up. That's the reason the institute is encouraging people to donate before the storm hits.

"We need people to help us out to make sure there is enough blood on the shelf," said Oklahoma Blood Institute president Dr. John Armitage.

Armitage said the blood institute will be able to stock pile enough blood for only three days during a good week. They said even a one day snow event is enough to have an impact.

"If you take a day's worth of collection out of that you can quickly realize how the pipeline starts to empty out and then it gets tighter and tighter in terms of safety net for the patients who need blood," Armitage said.

Donors can give at one of several Oklahoma Blood Institute locations in Tulsa, Ardmore, Ada, Lawton, Enid and Ponca City and five in the OKC-metro area.

Find a donation center near you

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