LifeStream Blood Bank needs 2,393 donors through Sunday, Jan. 15, to overcome an alarming blood shortage. The rain storms forecasted to hit Southern California this week threaten blood collection efforts.
Last week, LifeStream needed 1,750 donors from Jan. 6 through Jan. 8 while battling rainy weather. The community blood supply is still down to just hours of supply. O negative donors are specifically needed. O negative is regularly used for babies in neonatal intensive care units at local hospitals.
"I want to thank all the donors who answered our call for help last week, but the job is not done,” said Dr. Rick Axelrod, LifeStream’s president/CEO & medical director. “The ongoing blood shortage combined with the need at our area hospitals is increasing our supply deficit at an alarming rate. We need donors to make and keep their appointments despite the forecasted rain. Anyone who is eligible to donate blood or platelets this week, please make an appointment at one of our nine donor centers."
LifeStream has donor centers in San Bernardino, Riverside, Ontario, Victorville, Murrieta, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage, Placentia and Hemet and conducts mobile blood drives throughout its service area. Eligibility requirements for all donors can be found at www.lstream.org/about-donating/who-can-donate/. All donors should be feeling healthy and well and present a current photo ID. Walk-ins are welcomed, and appointments are encouraged. To make an appointment, call 800-879-4484 or visit LStream.org.