Univ. of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in need of blood donors

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – The holiday season can be a slow time for blood donations, and staff at the University of Iowa Health Care DeGowin Blood Center say donations are needed.

Officials say each pint of blood donated can help two patients, and that donations of both whole blood and platelets are needed. They say they are in need of group O whole blood especially.

The blood center provides more than 27,000 blood products to patients annually.

“It’s really important that, as a community, we’re able to keep our blood supply stable,” says Kerry DuBay, MBA, a donor center supervisor with DeGowin. “I want people to know that donating in the winter makes a huge difference. All blood donations given with DeGowin go to patients staying in our hospital.”

They say that 1 in 7 people entering the hospital need blood and that making a whole blood donation is easy, taking less than 1 hour.

“Because we rely on our community of generous donors, we strive to make the process as simple and convenient as possible,” DuBay says.

Donors need to be 17 years of age or older or 16 with a signed parent/guardian consent form. Donors must weigh at least 110 pounds and be free of cold or flu symptoms for five days leading up to their donation.  Donors need to bring a photo ID, a list of medications they take, and places and dates they have traveled outside the U.S. within the last 3 years.

Those interested in donating can learn more about the process, check their eligibility, and schedule an appointment online by visiting uidegowinbloodcenter.org or by calling 319-356-2058.

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