Local Kansas blood banks are asking for donors to help keep the blood supply at the needed level during the summer months. Dana Garner is with the Community Blood Center. She says high school and college students are active donors, but in the summer many of them aren’t available.
“Summer, we have a dip in blood donations. Like many people, there are vacations, a lot of the students at colleges and high schools are out of session. Because they’re not available, we rely on people from the community, businesses, to help support the blood supply,” says Garner.
Garner says it takes around 580 donors per day to keep the blood supply at the needed level in Kansas and Missouri.
“Right now, we’re still doing OK, but we have to maintain that every day. If we have a bad collection day tomorrow and the next day, then we’re not going to be able to supply the hospitals and the patients,” says Garner.
Garner spoke during a blood drive at the Kansas Statehouse Thursday. She says summer and the winter holiday seasion are the most challenging times for collecting blood donations.