FREE ACCESS: GCGH Foundation organizes “People Need People’ community blood drive for Saturday

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Stacy Burris, MPA—Director of Foundation and Community Outreach of the Greene County General Hospital (GCGH) Foundation recently announced an upcoming community blood drive set for Saturday, March 21 from 9 a.m. to noon at Saron United Church of Christ, located at 440 1st Street NE in Linton.

“It has been reported that blood donations are down due to COVID-19,” Burris said. “We are reaching out to our communities to help patients by collecting blood products for patients in their time of need. Saron United Church of Christ, in conjunction with Greene County General Hospital, is stepping up to help ensure the blood inventory stays strong. We are asking that healthy donors help in this time of need. Although elective surgeries are being canceled in many hospitals, there is still a great need for blood for those patients battling leukemia, sickle cell anemia, automobile accidents and premature births, to name a few.”

Burris said extra steps are being taken to ensure safety, including:

• Pre-screening before entering the drive

• Temperature taken - anyone with a temperature of 99.5 or over will be deferred

• Beds spaced 6 feet apart

• Cleaning of all equipment after use

According to a message from Versiti (formerly Indiana Blood Center) Chief Medical Officer Tom Abshire, M.D., it is important to make an appointment for the drive, in order to help with the flow of donors. If all appointments become filled, Versiti will add more staff to accommodate more donors, so people are encouraged to check back if appointments fill up.

“The donation process itself poses no risk of infecting a donor with coronavirus,” Abshire said. “Donors and our blood drive sponsors should be reassured that attending organized blood drives is safe. Coronavirus is currently not known to infect patients through blood transfusions. The patients in our communities and our hospital partners rely on the generosity of donors for this precious resource.”

Community members are being urged to schedule and/or keep their blood donation appointments to ensure an adequate blood supply.

Burris said it is critically important that healthy individuals continue to donate to minimize disruptions to the blood supply and to ensure blood is available.

Those wishing to donate may sign up at https://donate.indiana.versiti.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/140855/donor/s....

Eligibility

Donors must be 17 years old (16 with signed parent permission slip), meet height /weight eligibility requirements, be in good general health and present a photo I.D. at registration.

Burris said she is grateful for all of the agencies and entities in Greene County who have come together to assist one another during this crisis.

“We created a resource list of churches and community members who have volunteered their services during our COVID-19 situation and we have been actively matching those in need to the resources we are aware of,” she said. “Mayor Wilkes has reached out to us offering the Roy Clark Community building and other resources the hospital may need. The City of Linton, Greene County Health Department and our Commissioners and County leaders have been wonderful partners to the hospital during this situation. We would also like to send a special thank you to Saron Church for hosting the blood drive this Saturday. Thankfully, our community stepped up to help our area.”

For more information on the community blood drive, contact Shelly Shearer(sshearer@versiti.org).

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