KBIA

Urgent Need for Blood Donations COLUMBIA, MO (KBIA) - The local community blood center is putting out an urgent call for donors. The center serves 73 hospitals across the state. Spokesperson mary Kelley says inventory is extremely low. She says there is a constant shortage because barely a fraction of people who can give blood do. Kelley says donors save more than one life each time they give blood.

"When you donate a pint of blood, you actually save two lives. Because we are able to separate those portions of the blood, the red cells, the plasma, and the platelets. We can afctually save two lives with one pint of blood. There is no substitute for blood. And blood actually does save lives. And only volunteer donated blood can be used for transfusion for a human being."

Kelley says anyone who is in good health, at least 17 years old, and weighs more than 110 pounds can give blood.
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