Urgent need for blood donors following plane crash, July Fourth weekend

July 8, 2013
Attention News Desk: Press Release (for immediate release)
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Dayna Kerecman Myers (202) 669-2921
daynam@stanford.edu,
Deanna Bolio (650) 725-3804
dbolio@stanford.edu

STANFORD, Calif. — Following the Asiana Airlines plane crash on July 6 at San Francisco International Airport and the holiday weekend, Stanford Blood Center has an urgent need for type O-positive and type O-negative blood donors and platelet donors.

As the main supplier to Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, the blood center is working closely with its hospital partners to ensure that they have the blood products that they need to help the plane-crash survivors and other patients in need. According to the blood center’s administrator, Harpreet Sandhu, the tragedy occurred at a time when supplies were already low. “Following the July Fourth holiday weekend and heavy usage recently, we especially need help replenishing our shelves. Please make an appointment to donate if you can,” Sandhu said.

The blood center has a need for all blood types, but there is a particular need for O-negative blood, O-positive blood and platelets. Donors should be in good health with no cold or flu symptoms. They must eat well prior to donation, drink fluids and present photo identification at the time of donation. The process takes about an hour. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (888) 723-7831 or visit https://bloodcenter-stg.stanford.edu.

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The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation’s top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://mednews.stanford.edu. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. For information about all three, please visit http://stanfordmedicine.org/about/news.html.

Stanford Blood Center was created at the Stanford University School of Medicine in 1978 to meet the complex transfusion needs of Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, as well as provide tailored blood products and clinical trial services for school researchers. Today the center provides blood products to seven local hospitals and is a recognized leader in the field of transfusion medicine. More information is available at https://bloodcenter-stg.stanford.edu.