Red Cross seeks donors as blood supply dwindles

BANGOR – Maine’s Red Cross was in the hole 219 units, or pints, of blood Tuesday on the eve of the biggest snowstorm so far this season. The state needs about 310 units a day.

Three community blood drives have had to be canceled so far this year, according to Trudy Darling, account executive for Bangor’s donor center on Hammond Street. She expected any drives planned for Wednesday also would be canceled, leaving the state’s situation even more critical.

“People’s lives depend on this,” said Darling. “We have a mission and there’s a reason behind it.”

That mission changed Darling’s life two years ago when her father was battling leukemia, and she witnessed how many pints of blood it took to keep him alive. She decided to leave her job as a territory manager selling commercial lubricants for ExxonMobil and join the Red Cross, where she has worked in Bangor’s division since. Her father’s disease is in remission, but Darling’s passion for the Red Cross’ mission is not.

Darling, 44, is encouraging donors to fight the cold winter weather and give blood at a time when the Red Cross desperately needs their help.

“We have the most giving donors in this area,” Darling said, adding, “February has been pretty bleak, and it’s the cold weather.”

The subzero temperatures that have chilled Maine in the last two weeks make it hard for donors that already have trouble traveling in this type of weather, Darling said.

Also, to make matters worse, the storm of the winter is expected to arrive Wednesday, possibly dumping anywhere from 8 to 14 inches of snow.

Darling expects the blood drive at the center along with five others in the state to be canceled if Wednesday’s storm lives up to forecasters’ expectations. She was not sure if Thursday’s blood drive at Eastern Maine Community College would be canceled, too.

“There’s very few times when we have a day’s supply of blood,” she said.

Currently, there is about one day’s supply of most blood types, but the Red Cross is most comfortable with a three-day supply.

To help remedy the general supply issue, Maureen Baldini, director of Maine and New Hampshire operations for the Red Cross, announced last month that the Bangor Blood Donor Center would be open Tuesday through Friday, as well as two Saturdays a month. It also will be working with hospitals and other groups throughout the state to spread awareness of the collection efforts.

With the additional days and hours, Darling hopes that the blood units will start to increase.

“We committed ourselves into a growth plan and in order to do that we had to open another day,” Darling said. “I think that the community responded positively to the hours.”

Last month, the center set a goal of attaining 7,330 units in 2007. The goal was increased 2,000 units from last year.

The Portland donor center took similar measures to Bangor’s to combat the dire conditions, extending business hours in January as well.

Blood supply is not the only area in which the local Red Cross needs help.

Suzan Bell, executive director of the Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross on Mildred Avenuein Bangor, said donations of clothing, food and money have been low in the disaster services division, but it’s not a surprise.

“We are in the midst of fire season,” Bell said. “Right now, it’s in its peak.”

Bell said Monday that there already have been five fires that summoned the disaster response team and wasn’t sure about a sixth last weekend.

The disaster response service provides food, clothing, shelter and monetary donations to families displaced by fires, storms and other disasters. Donations of any of those items would be greatly appreciated.

Bell also said that the cold weather is a major factor in the decreased donations.

“People are paying for fuel and running their furnaces more,” she said.

Bell commended the volunteers and the work they have done, despite the limited resources.

“We have many volunteers,” Bell said about the locally funded division. “We rely on the local public to help people.”