In the wake of Hurricane Beryl’s wrath on areas of Texas, ImpactLife centers nationwide – including the Quad Cities – are helping supply hospitals in Houston.
The Davenport-based ImpactLife has provided type O-positive red blood cells as well as platelets each of the past two weeks to Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center and to M.D. Anderson Cancer, both based in Houston.
“Resource sharing by blood centers is an important aspect of disaster response,” said Kirby Winn, public relations manager for ImpactLife. “Patient care continues in the region affected by Hurricane Beryl, in part, because blood providers across the country are supporting the region’s blood supply.”
Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Texas on Monday, July 8, packing destructive winds that led to widespread power outages and blood drive cancellations across the region.
Mr. Winn added that ImpactLife continues to meet its commitments to hospitals in its local service region while supporting the national response to Hurricane Beryl. Blood and platelet donations support ongoing, routine use at local hospitals while a reserve is needed in case of a spike in demand due to a large-scale emergency or mass trauma.
More donations needed
Due to the increased need, Mr. Winn told the QCBJ ImpactLife is encouraging Quad Cities donors to make an appointment to donate blood. Additional donations from type O-positive and O-negative blood donors, and from platelet donors of all blood types, are needed at this time.
“ImpactLife is glad to support the national response, especially after we were reminded with tornados in the Quad Cities last week how quickly we could find ourselves in circumstances that would require outside help,” he added.
According to an ImpactLife news release, the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has been challenged to continue its blood collection efforts due to widespread power outages and other disruptions including the forced temporary closures of several community donor centers in Houston.
Others aid Gulf Coast
“Hurricane Beryl has left people in our community without power for multiple days or even a week,” Kevin Shipley, associate vice president of Community Engagement with Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, said in a video released by Impact Life. “This has put a damper on our blood supply and our ability to provide the units needed every single day by the thousands of patients that we serve.”
Of the other ImpactLife centers’ responses, he added: “We’re very fortunate and we want to say thank you to the many partners across the country who have stepped up and helped send units so that every patient, every day, every hospital, doesn’t have to worry about blood being readily available.”
To schedule, Quad Cities donors should call ImpactLife at (800) 747-5401, visit www.bloodcenter.org, or download the ImpactLife mobile app at www.bloodcenter.org/app.
Vouchers thank donors
To thank donors who give blood during this critical time of year, ImpactLife will provide all presenting donors with a voucher to redeem for their choice of an electronic gift card, bonus points to use in the Donor Rewards Store, or an equivalent donation to Make-a-Wish Illinois, Make-a-Wish Iowa, Make-a-Wish Missouri, or Make-a-Wish Wisconsin via the blood center’s “Good Giving” program.
Here’s a look at the vouchers incentives available through Wednesday, July 31:
- Whole blood donation (Donor Centers and mobile blood drives) receive a $20 gift card, $20 donation or 1,000 points.
- Double red and plasma only donations receive a $25 gift card, $25 donation or 1,500 points.
- Platelet donations (donors who have given platelets two-plus times previously with ImpactLife) receive a $25 gift card, $25 donation or 1,500 points.
- Platelet donations (donor’s first or second attempt to ever give platelets with ImpactLife) receive a $50 gift card, $50 donation or 3,000 points.
For more information on blood inventories and donor promotions, see www.bloodcenter.org or find it on social media: @impactlifeblood on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
