Press Release
Blood Donation Critical Following Winter Storms and Rise in Illness
Versiti Blood Center of Indiana has issued an emergency plea for blood donations. Winter weather and a rise in illness have significantly disrupted donations, resulting in less than a day’s supply of critical blood types for patients in our local hospitals.
“Blood shortages aren't just statistics — they mean real lives hanging in the balance,” said Dan Waxman, MD, vice president of transfusion medicine and senior medical director at Versiti. “When hospitals run out of blood, critical treatments are delayed, surgeries are postponed, and lives are at risk.”
Consider the story of Divinity Crittendon, who required an astonishing 276 units of blood during her emergency C-section to bring her son, Tyree, into the world. After an arduous 21 days in the hospital, where she fought for her life on a ventilator, she finally held her baby for the first time, thanks to the generosity of blood donors.
“I’m not a statistic and I want people to be more aware of these types of situations and let them know that donating really helps,” said Crittendon. “This is living proof—two lives, mine and my son’s, were saved from the blood that was donated. It all makes a difference.”