The ABC’s of giving blood so needed now! The door is open to the Jill & John Coyle Blood Center
By Anne W. Semmes
At this moment when the Red Cross is reporting its worst blood shortage in over a decade – putting patients at risk, there can be no more welcoming a place for donors than the new Jill and John Coyle Blood Center located on the second floor of the newly rebuilt Greenwich Red Cross headquarters in Cos Cob.
“We have less than a day’s supply of blood,” confirmed Stephanie Dunn Ashley, CEO of the Greenwich based Metro New York North Chapter of the Red Cross. “It’s a nationwide shortage and we are just as critical here as in every other town.” We met up with Ashley earlier this week as the first donors of 72 booked for this week were arriving after the Martin Luther King holiday. Entering the expansive new Blood Center, one sees the impressive padded chair-beds Ashley identifies as Apheresis beds. “The Apheresis blood collection is a specific kind of blood donation. It is the process of separating blood into its different components: Platelets, Red Blood Cells and Plasma. Platelet donations allow us to collect what patients need then return the rest of the blood to the donor.”
Nearby are the flat donor beds where whole blood is taken. “It is up to the donor if they would like to sit or lay down.” says Ashley. The first three donors have chosen the flat beds. But first they are taken into separate Health History Rooms. “If you download the Red Cross blood donor app,” tells Ashley, “You can pre-answer your health history questions online before you even walk in the door. Then when you come in, reception will greet you and scan your donor card from your app. And then someone will take you into the health history room, review your questions, do your hemoglobin, blood pressure…and make sure you drink lots of water.” The giving of blood – one pint – can take anywhere from five to 15 minutes, says Ashley who may have set a record giving her blood a couple of months ago. “It took three minutes and 53 seconds – I was just very hydrated!”
So, who is qualified to give blood? Individuals aged 17 (in most states) and older, who weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health. “You can give blood if you’re not vaccinated,” Ashley surprises, adding. “Although we recommend it. You can give blood after you’ve recovered from COVID and pass a health screening. You can give blood every 56 days.” And she added, “Donors are coming from the surrounding areas and town from Westchester and Fairfield counties.
The donors are now lying flat and giving blood and a couple of them have agreed to answer some questions. “Okay,” says Ashley, “We’re going to have you stand on this side [of a partition] to give William some privacy.” William is young and masked. “So, tell me your age?” He’s 18 and this is his second donation, the first given three months earlier while at school. He was inspired to do so by a schoolmate. “He’s almost like at a gallon now. He’s donated like crazy. So, he got me to do it. I have to give him the credit.”
And why does William Catalini donate? “I guess it’s like, people need it. And it’s something I can do. It doesn’t take much time, especially now, because we’re like in the blood crisis.”
Might William have been pulled in for the chance to win in January a getaway to the Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles or that raffle for two free tickets to the Greenwich Town Party? “No, I’m just here to donate.”
Same goes for Steve Shea, age 71. So, why is he donating? “It’s needed. It’s convenient. It’s the right thing to do. There’s no substitute, and as long as you’re able – do it.”
Steve figures he’ll be donating every eight weeks this year. “Probably six times a year.”
Does Steve know others who are so regularly donating? His wife, who is present and ready to give. “She had never done it before,” says Steve, and why did she climb aboard? “I guess the same reasons as I have – it’s just needed, and it’s easy enough, and not painful or anything like that. So, now we’re doing it together.”
“Blood is perishable,” Ashley tells. “The whole blood that is being collected today will be stored in refrigerators at 6°C for up to 42 days. Platelets are stored at room temperature in agitators for up to five days. Plasma and cyro are frozen and stored in freezers for up to one year.“
Ashley then shares importantly the avenue for prospective donors to make that life-saving-for-others appointment: “You can use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or visit RedCrossBlood.org, or call 800-733-2767.”
