Chicagoland Steps Up To The Platelets After Vegas Shooting

AURORA, IL — In a Monday morning press conference, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman asked Las Vegas residents for blood donations to help the victims from Sunday night's shooting, but the goodwill extended far beyond Nevada. Chicagoland is experiencing an uptick in donations, according to Amy Smith, Heartland Blood Centers Director of Donor Recruitment.

Headquartered in Aurora, Heartland is the area’s largest voluntary blood donation service. It saw about 200 additional walk-in appointments Monday. The nonprofit expects more throughout the week.

“As the news continues to cover the crisis, donors will feel inclined to support efforts in anyway they can,” says Smith. Heartland hasn’t shipped any units to Las Vegas yet, but it's on standby. When organizers of Hurricane Harvey relief efforts called, units were sent via FedEx Express.

To keep up with just the local demand, Heartland needs 600 units per day, which comes from about 750 people. Those day-to-day numbers are fairly predictable because Heartland follows production demand models for each hospital it serves. But what isn’t predictable, says Smith, are times when there’s a critical need for blood. The distribution system only works if people donate regularly.

It takes three days to process and ship blood. “Blood cannot be manufactured,” says Smith. “The blood that is on the shelves before a tragedy is the blood that is used when the tragedy occurs.” The uptick in donors this week will replenish the supply.

In June of 2016, The Orlando Sentinel reported 372 pints of blood were used in the first 24 hours after the Pulse Nightclub shooting that left 49 dead and 58 wounded. One victim required 214 pints of blood, platelets or plasma. Smith says if everyone who is eligible gave blood once a year, there would never be a shortage.

Most of Heartland’s units go to surgeries, transplants, cancer patients, sickle cell patients and accident victims. If a blood donor is part of the 8 percent of the population with O- blood, their donation is especially helpful because those units bypass some testing and can get to the patient quicker.

Heartland Blood Centers has 13 locations in Chicago and surrounding suburbs. They include:

• 1297 South Naper Blvd. in Naperville
• 1200 Highland Ave. in Aurora
• 728 E. Veterans Pkwy. in Yorkville

There are a few myths that surround blood donation. Smith ensures it is easy and painless. It takes about an hour. Having a tattoo is no longer a problem, as long as the person got it from a licensed facility and the scar is healed.

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