Blood centers holding strong

BY RYAN PALENCER

AVON January 12, 2009 05:09 pm

— With the hits in production that many businesses have felt in the economic recession, blood banks are one of the few entities that have kept up with the holiday rush.
“We are very fortunate,” said Wendy Mehringer, public relations director for the Indiana Blood Center. “Typically, the holidays are frustrating for people and they get very busy. They get out of the usual routine. The holiday season was wonderful.”
During the recent holiday season, the Indiana Blood Center teamed with the Indianapolis Colts for a ‘bleed blue’ promotion and with WTHR Channel 13 to keep the stock adequate.
Mehringer said the Blood Center has a six-day supply for common blood types such as O+ and A+ and a three-day supply of the more rare blood types, such as B- and O-.
“(The common types) are more universal or in demand because a majority of people have it,” Mehringer said. “A two- or three-day supply for the others is common. We have people donating every day. We supply around 550 units every day. We just want to keep a steady pace.”
Mehringer said she thinks the blood centers will be able to hold that steady pace.
Mehringer says that any healthy candidate, regardless of blood type, will be accepted.
“A lot of donors don’t know their blood type,” she said. “They may think that we don’t want them. We will accept any healthy, 110-pound person of at least 16 years of age.”
Mehringer said all blood that is donated in Indiana stays here.
“Everything that is donated in Indiana, stays in Indiana,” she said. “It goes to Indiana hospitals first, then wherever there is need. It is our mission.”
The blood donated in Central Indiana goes to support more than 50 hospitals in the area — including Hendricks Regional Health, Clarian West, and St. Francis in Mooresville.
In order to convenience the donors, the blood center also offers mobile outings. Mehringer said about 60 percent of the donated blood comes from mobile blood drives. As a secondary incentive, the blood center will use promotions, such as giving free movie tickets.
“For people who become regular donors, they are not as motivated by rewards,” she said.
The Indiana Blood Center also has an extra incentive for blood donors. It provides donor point, a service through its website that allows an individual to see their donation history, when they will be eligible to donate again, and the health information from their physical. A donor must create an account to join. However, the donor is able to earn more points to shop in the blood center’s e-store, where items such as caps and umbrellas are available. All donor point services are done online. Mehringer said more than 100,000 people have joined donor points within the last year.
For more information, including locations, visit the website at www.indianablood.org.

Upcoming blood drives in Hendricks County
n Jan. 16 — Hendricks Regional Health, 1000 E. Main St., Danville
n Jan. 24 — Knights of Columbus Council 11896, 1005 W. Main St., Danville
n Jan. 25 — Connection Pointe Christian Church, 1800 N. Green St., Brownsburg
n Jan. 26 — St. Malachy Catholic Church, 326 N. Green St., Brownsburg
n Jan. 28 — Avon Parkside Church of the Nazarene, 47 N. C.R. 625 E., Avon
n Feb. 3 — Clarian West, 1111 N. Ronald Reagan Pkwy., Avon
n Feb. 4 — Plainfield High School, 709 Stafford, Plainfield
n Feb. 16 — Pittsboro Community, 216 N. Maple St., Pittsboro
n Feb. 21 — Moms Club of Avon/Brownsburg, 955 E. Main St., Danville
n March 15 — Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 S. Green St., Brownsburg
n March 18 — Starbucks of Avon, 10861 U.S. 36, Avon
ryan.palencer@flyergroup.com

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