Northern Colorado blood supply critically low

Local blood supplies are critically low, prompting officials at UCHealth’s Garth Englund Blood Donation Centers to ask the public to consider donating blood to help save lives.

A number of recent trauma incidents have depleted much of the supply in Northern Colorado at a time when donations are typically down because of vacations and summer break, according to Larisa Maristany, the supervisor at the blood donor centers.

All blood types are needed but particularly:

•  Type O, negative and positive, which are used in trauma cases.
•  Type AB, needed for plasma donations.
•  Type A, negative and positive, which can help with either red cell, platelet or plasma donations. 

A special blood drive will be held 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday in the Café F meeting room in the lower level at Poudre Valley Hospital, 1024 S. Lemay Ave. in Fort Collins. To schedule an appointment to give blood during the drive, call 970-495-8965.

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Donations also can be scheduled at Garth Englund’s blood donor centers in Northern Colorado, at 1025 Pennock Place in Fort Collins or the Medical Center of the Rockies, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave., in Loveland. Call 970-495-8965 to schedule an appointment there.

To donate, a person must be at least 18 years old (or 17 with a parent's permission) and show a photo identification. New donors must weigh at least 120 pounds and be in good health. Prior donors must weigh at least 110 pounds. Whole blood donations take 30 to 40 minutes. Platelet donations take from 45 to 110 minutes.

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All blood donated through UCHealth’s Garth Englund Blood Donation Centers stays local helping patients at PVH, MCR, Greeley Emergency and Surgery Center and Estes Park Medical Center.

For more information visit uchealth.org/beahero.

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