Following sad instances such as the Aiken Walmart shooting that injured 13-year-old Ashton Rickard and the Richmond County Deputy Kenneth Mercer shooting, blood donations have played a similar role in each of their recovery journeys.
Our local blood banks run low on supplies throughout the summer, and you never know when tragedy will strike.
“You never know when there’s gonna be a tragedy, like a shooting or car accident or just some health emergency where someone is gonna need blood,” said Ben Prijatel, President of Shepeard Community Blood Center.
It’s why the Shepeard Community Blood Center says it’s important to donate blood regularly, so there’s enough supply when the community is in need.
The Red Cross says a single car accident victim can require up to 100 units of blood.
“Every household in the CSRA on average will use blood at some point. Every family is gonna be touched by blood transfusion,” he said.
It could even be someone close to you.
It only takes 30 to 45 minutes, but the process from the time you donate to the time it’s passed on to someone in need could take up to 48 hours.
“When you donate blood you see it there and it looks like it’s ready to go, but there’s actually a lot behind the scenes before it can be transfused. One of the most important things is for us to test to make sure that it is safe to go into somebody else,” said Prijatel.
It’s why Prijatel encourages people to think of donating as less of a choice and more of a community responsibility.
“It’s not a choice. Blood has to be there, it has to be available,” he said.
Now, in the height of summer, is the best time to become a donor.
“Unfortunately, we hear it seems like more and more of these violent acts that are happening all over the country and also here in the CSRA. So it’s maybe even more important than ever to make that blood donation,” he said.
If you’d like to sign up to donate blood, visit the Shepeard Community Blood Center’s website.