ImpactLife ships blood components to region affected by Hurricane Ian

DAVENPORT, Iowa, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ImpactLife is participating in a national response to supply blood for the region affected by Hurricane Ian. After sending a shipment of Type O red blood cells, the blood center anticipates needing additional donations of red blood cells and platelets to maintain the blood supply for local hospitals and for ongoing support of the hurricane region. For information on local donation centers and mobile blood drives, call (800) 747-5401, visit www.bloodcenter.org, or schedule via the ImpactLife mobile app, available at www.bloodcenter.org/app.  

ImpactLife is part of a resource sharing network of not-for-profit community blood centers that supports needs throughout the country when called upon. As residents of the affected region prepared for Hurricane Ian, hospitals and blood providers have requested support from other parts of the country.

"We expect donors in the affected region will be unable to give blood when the hurricane hits, either due to power outages, evacuations, or sheltering in place," said Mike Parejko, Chief Executive Officer of ImpactLife. "We know blood components will be needed for ongoing patient care in the region, and we are glad to join other blood providers around the U.S. in responding to this need."

ImpactLife will prioritize local needs before shipping blood components outside of the blood center's direct service region. "We will need to increase our donations this week and next to continue meeting local needs while also supporting the region affected by Hurricane Ian," said Amanda Hess, Vice President, Donor Relations and Marketing.  

Through November 13, all donors will receive a voucher to redeem for an electronic gift card or ImpactLife Blood Type Mug by coming to give blood at any ImpactLife donor center or mobile blood drive. For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org/promotions.  

ImpactLife is a not-for-profit community organization providing blood services to 124 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as resource sharing partners across the country. Services extend from southcentral Wisconsin to St. Louis, Missouri and from Danville, Illinois to Chariton, Iowa. (See a map of the ImpactLife service region.) ImpactLife operates 22 Donor Centers and holds approximately 5000 mobile blood drives annually to provide blood components needed for patient transfusions at hospitals throughout our region.

For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, and YouTube.

SOURCE ImpactLife