MonticelloLive

LifeShare Blood Centers will be drawing blood at Wal-Mart-Today, 2-6 PM.

LifeShare is in desparate need of o-negative blood.

LifeShare Blood Centers has issued an urgent appeal for blood donors to assist a patient being treated within the LifeShare service area.
“We have a patient who is using a large quantity of blood,” said Libby Murphy, director of development and public relations at LifeShare Blood Centers. “To protect patient privacy, we cannot discuss the particulars of the patient’s condition.  However, we need the public to help this person and others who will need blood in the coming days.”
According to Murphy, the patient has depleted LifeShare’s reserves of O-negative blood. In addition, other regional blood centers are experiencing shortages and do not have excess blood inventory to share.  Therefore, donors are needed to replenish the blood supply.  Since this is a holiday weekend, blood usage is expected to go up as more people are traveling and vehicle accidents increase.  One accident victim can use as much as 50 units of blood, and sometimes more.
“When you consider that an individual can give one unit of blood at a time, but a patient may use many units of blood, it’s easy to understand why the blood supply can be quickly depleted,” said Murphy. “We hope that people will help this patient and others in need, especially now and in the spirit of the Easter season.”
All blood types are needed, but O-negative is in critically short supply. Potential donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh 110 lbs. or more, know the name and purpose of any medication taken, and should eat a good meal and increase fluid intake prior to donation.
About LifeShare Blood Centers
LifeShare Blood Centers is the exclusive provider of blood, blood components and related services for use by patients in over 140 healthcare facilities throughout Louisiana, southeast Texas, and southeast Arkansas.  The 65-year-old company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community blood center, governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, inspected and accredited by AABB, and a member of America’s Blood Centers. 
For more information about blood donation, or to find a conveniently located mobile blood drive, call one the following locations, or visit us on the web at  www.lifeshare.org. 
     Monroe Center                                  Ruston Site                               West Monroe Site
2909 Kilpatrick Blvd.                   Graham Shopping Center            Blanchard Centre (across from IHOP)
                    318/322-4445                                 318/254-1167                                  318/388-5880
          Monday – Friday 7am-5pm           Monday – Friday 10am – 6pm           Monday – Saturday 12pm-6pm