GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — With less than a day's worth of blood supply left, Versiti Blood Center of Michigan is asking for blood donations, especially from those with O-negative or O-positive blood types.
With 80 hospital partners, Versiti said that the low supply could mean a crisis for Michigan communities.
“As more people are getting vaccinated and getting out of their homes, attention has shifted away from blood donation," said Dr. Dan Waxman, vice president of transfusion medicine and senior medical director at Versiti. "On top of that, drives at schools and businesses, which are typically Versiti’s largest source of blood donations this time of year, have been canceled. All of this is creating a crisis situation – a shortage of much-needed blood."
Blood centers are accepting donations at these addresses:
- Grand Rapids: 1036 Fuller NE
- Grandville: 3140 Wilson SW
- St. Joseph: 2710 Cleveland Ave.
- Kalamazoo Area: 524 E. Milham Ave., Portage
- Saginaw: 1771 Tittabawasee Rd.
- Bay City: 1017 N. Johnson St.
- Midland: 825 E. Main St.
- Traverse City: 2575 Aero Park Dr.
Donating blood takes about an hour, with the actual donation taking 10-15 minutes. Anyone 17 or older in good health who meets eligibility requirements is encouraged to give. Parental consent is required for 16-year-old donors to donate. Donors should bring a photo ID that includes their birth date.
Times, dates and locations of upcoming local drives can be found here. Interested donors should click the “Schedule to Donate” tab to find the nearest drive to them.
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