UI Health/Vitalant Emergency Blood Drive

The blood supply in the Chicagoland area has hit dangerously low levels. Due to the intense winter weather and cold and flu season, blood centers have been affected by low turnout rates, which has resulted in blood donations going down 47 percent.

This shortage also has impacted several hospitals throughout the area, causing surgeries to be postponed, including life-saving organ transplants.

There’s currently a critical need for platelets and blood donations of all types, especially for type O blood; when a patient’s blood type is unknown, particularly during an emergency, type O is needed until the patient is stable.

UI Health will be hosting a blood drive with Vitalant to help increase community blood supply levels to meet area patients’ needs.