SARASOTA- In a time of need, two Suncoast organizations teamed up to host a community blood drive.
“We’re rocking and rolling down here, saving lives,” said Donor Group Representative at SunCoast Blood Bank, Sue Weber- Hegge. “Every successful donation is getting tested for the antibody, the COVID antibody.”
The Suncoast Science Center’s Faulhaber Fab Lab and Suncoast Blood Centers teamed up to address the urgent need for blood and platelet shortage in the area.
“80 people signed up, which is why we added three buses, a little more staff and it’s awesome, the community has come out to support both the Fab Lab and Suncoast Blood centers,” said Weber- Hegge.
The blood center supplies hospitals on the Suncoast…
“Sarasota Memorial, Lakewood Ranch Medical, Manatee Memorial, Englewood, Fawcett Memorial, so all of our blood does get used at our local hospitals,” said Weber- Hegge.
New blood and plasma donations help support COVID-19 patients, as well as those suffering traumas, undergoing cancer treatments, and major surgeries.
“Usually we’ve been told that with 12 to 24 hours their patients have seen a remarkable turnaround,” said Weber- Hegge.
“It’s a terrific initiative because you can have some type of immunity and not even know it, so coming and donating blood, they’ll get you checked out and if you can donate the plasma as well that’s fantastic,” said Blood Donor, Norman Dempsey.
Every blood donation helps save up to three lives, and each plasma donation will be given to three to four COVID-19 patients.