TULSA, Okla — The Oklahoma Blood Institute is calling on all Oklahomans to restock their blood supply.
They say the winter weather caused a significant loss of their blood collections.
As the road conditions clear, the OBI is urging donors to come in and donate.
They say having a secure blood supply is essential to ensure disaster preparedness.
It also serves patients who depend on transfusions to survive.
Lucy Laird is the Senior Account Manager with OBI, she told 2 News, “my son had to have a blood transfusion and if somebody wouldn’t have given blood three days before and made sure that it was in that blood supply, my son would not be here. Now he’s 16 years old and happy as can be.”
Officials with OBI said the winter storm caused many cancellations that resulted in the loss of more than 70% of their collections.
“Blood supply was dramatically impacted, so please take the time to encourage people, it’s a call to action, no matter what blood type you are", Laird said.
One donation can save up to three lives, right now they need a minimum of 1,200 donations to meet the needs of Oklahomans in our region.
"All blood types are needed. All blood types right now. It doesn’t matter if you’re an O, or an A, or a B, we need you to come out", Laird said.
The OBI covers all 77 counties in the state.
One donor, Julie Parette, said, “I know that the hospitals need it, people need it. Emergencies happen.”
Another donor, Andrew McGuire, told 2 News, “my father is in the hospital with Leukemia, and we came as a family with my brother, my sister and brother-in-law.”
The process takes around one hour for most donors, but that hour could save somebody's life.
Donors 16-years-old and older can click here for more information about the Oklahoma Blood Institute or how to donate.
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