Blood banks critically low heading into Thanksgiving

BOSTON — Wanted: Whole Blood. Any type. That is the plea from donor centers in the Boston area, including the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center, which serves patients at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

“Anyone that’s feeling healthy and well, we ask you to please step up to the plate,” said Molly McDermott, recruitment program manager for the Center. “Right now we need blood and platelets the most.”

The need for blood is both a result of short supply -- but also demand.

“Now with the Covid pandemic, of course, many things fell apart, said Maureen Achebe, MD, MPH, clinical director of hematology for the Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center. “People weren’t coming close to donor centers and we weren’t even sure it was safe.”

While it is safe now, donor numbers are down.

“It’s sort of fallen off,” McDermott said. “And I think everybody’s feeling that. Not just our donor center. Definitely across the nation.”

At the same time, hospitals are jammed with patients seeking pandemic-delayed care, and that’s causing a run on blood and blood products.

“It’s pretty bad,” McDermott said. “We need blood more than ever.”

Blood donations take about an hour; platelet donations, about three hours -- and anyone 17 and up can give. Prior Covid infection is not a disqualifier for donation, provided 14 days have elapsed since diagnosis -- and the donor feels well. It’s also fine to donate three days after a recent Covid vaccination, McDermott said.

And to be sure, the need is huge.

“We see patients who need blood to stay alive, we see patients who need to get through their treatments,” Achebe said. “We consider blood donation lifesaving and life-supporting.”

Among those who depended on blood transfusions for years: Joseph Thibodeau, who was diagnosed 18 years ago with lymphoma. Part of his treatment involved a stem-cell transplant, which resulted in a complication known as Graft Versus Host Disease -- for which Thibodeau continues to undergo treatment at the Kraft Center.

“If I didn’t have the blood, if I didn’t have the people donating, I would not be here,” Thibodeau said. " All I know is, I’m very thankful for the people who have donated.

It’s not just for me. It’s for other people. Accidents, catastrophes. They need blood.”

Thibodeau’s wife Kathleen became a blood donor while accompanying Joseph to his treatments.

“And I just felt like instead of sitting, reading or walking, whatever, I would give back,” she said. “So I donate. I have done platelets, which is a longer process. Now I’m doing whole blood so I can give every two months.”

Achebe, who runs the hospital’s Sickle Cell Center, said that for some patients with a genetic condition called thalassemia, regular blood transfusions are the only way to survive.

“Their bone marrows don’t make blood but they’re otherwise fine,” Achebe said. “If we can give them blood that matches their blood type every four weeks, they go about their lives into adulthood. So this would not be possible without blood donations.”

Achebe said even in normal times it’s difficult to keep a blood bank going -- because of the constant need for donors.

“Blood donations really impact people even in ways that blood donors don’t realize,” she said. “And we are grateful for blood donors and we’re always pitching for blood donors.”

Especially now.

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