WBTW hosting blood drives as Red Cross issues emergency call for blood

Meg Heath and Sue Miner joined News13 NOW at 9 a.m. on Monday to talk about two upcoming blood drives – one in Myrtle Beach and one in Florence. WBTW is partnering with the Red Cross to publicize the blood drives.

Miner spoke about her recent need for a transfusion of 8 pints of blood after a sudden medical condition that almost killed her. Watch the video to hear more of her story and why she knows first-hand why blood donation is so important.

The blood drives are Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Coastal Grand Mall in Myrtle Beach and at Magnolia Mall in Florence. All donors will receive a long sleeve American Red Cross t-shirt and a coupon for a free personal pizza.

The blood drives come as the American Red Cross issues an emergency call for blood donors. The following is a press release from the Red Cross:

A donation shortfall over the winter holidays is prompting the American Red Cross to issue an emergency call for blood and platelet donors to give now to prevent a blood shortage from continuing throughout winter and affecting patient care.

The Red Cross collected more than 27,000 fewer blood and platelet donations the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s than needed to sustain a sufficient blood supply. During this period, about 1,350 fewer blood drives were hosted by volunteer sponsor groups than required to meet patient needs as busy holiday schedules kept many donors away.

“Many people may not realize that blood products are perishable, and the only source of lifesaving blood for patients is volunteer blood donors,” said Cliff Numark, senior vice president, Red Cross Biomedical Services. “When donations decline – as they did around the holidays and may further decline if severe winter weather and flu season pick up – lifesaving medical treatments could be delayed.”

Right now, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types on hand, well below the ideal five-day supply needed to respond to emergencies and daily hospital needs. Blood products are currently being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in.

“We hope people can resolve to save lives now – when there is an emergency need – as well as throughout the year,” added Numark.

All eligible donors, especially platelet donors and blood donors with type O blood, are urged to make an appointment to give in the coming days to help restock the shelves for hospital patients. Eligible donors can find a blood or platelet donation opportunity and schedule an appointment to donate by using the free Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Volunteer blood drive hosts are also critically needed to prevent the shortage from worsening this winter.

Winter weather poses risk to blood supply: With several weeks of winter ahead, severe winter weather poses an additional threat to an already low blood supply. Snow, ice and extreme temperatures last January and February forced hundreds of blood drive cancellations, causing about 23,000 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. In December, winter weather resulted in nearly twice the number of uncollected blood and platelet donations as December 2017.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities Jan. 14-Feb. 15:

Chesterfield

• Cheraw
  • 1/18/2019: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Schaeffler Group USA, 1 Ina Drive
  • 1/18/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Free Worship, 915 Chesterfield Highway
  • 1/18/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Schaeffler Group USA, 1 Ina Drive
  • 2/7/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Cheraw High School, 649 Chesterfield Hwy
  • 2/14/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Wannamaker Drug, 154 Market Street
• Mc Bee
  • 1/17/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., McBee Presbyterian Church, Hwy 151
• Pageland
  • 2/4/2019: 2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Wolf Pond Baptist Chuch, 78 Wolf Pond Pond Church Road

Clarendon

• Manning
  • 1/19/2019: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Manning First Assembly of God, 3574 Highway 260

Darlington

• Darlington
  • 1/23/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Trinity Collegiate School, 5001 Hoffmeyer Road
  • 2/12/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Darlington County Institute of Technology, 160 Pinedale Drive
• Hartsville
  • 2/9/2019: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Byerly Park, 701 West Washington Street
  • 2/15/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Emmanuel Baptist Church – Hartsvllle, 949 North Marquis Highway
• Lamar
  • 2/8/2019: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Lamar High School JROTC Building, 216 North Darlington Ave.

Dillon

• Dillon
  • 1/16/2019: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Dillon High School, 1730 Highway 301 North

Florence

• Florence
  • 1/14/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/15/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/15/2019: 1:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Central United Methodist Church, 225 West Cheves Street
  • 1/16/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/17/2019: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., WBTW Ch.13, 2701 David McLeod Blvd
  • 1/18/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/19/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/20/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/21/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/22/2019: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Lucy T. Davis Elementary School, 201 Westfield Drive
  • 1/22/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/23/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/25/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/25/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Wilson High School, 1411 Old Marion Hwy
  • 1/26/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/27/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/28/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/29/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/29/2019: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Francis Marion University, 4822 East Palmetto Street
  • 1/30/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 1/30/2019: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 700 Park Ave
  • 1/31/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., West Florence High School, 221 N Beltline Blvd
  • 2/1/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/2/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/3/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/4/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/5/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/6/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/8/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/9/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/10/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/10/2019: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 2536 W Hoffmeyer Rd
  • 2/11/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., The King’s Academy, 1015 S. Ebenezer Road
  • 2/11/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/12/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/13/2019: 11:45 a.m. – 6:15 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
  • 2/15/2019: 6:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m., Florence Blood Donation Center, 1555 W. Palmetto Street
• Lake City
  • 2/6/2019: 8:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Lake City High School, 652 N Matthews Rd
  • 2/13/2019: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Nan Ya Plastics, 140 East Beulah Rd
• Pamplico
  • 2/1/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Hannah Pamplico High School, 2055 South Pamplico High School

Georgetown

• Georgetown
  • 2/1/2019: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Georgetown Memorial Hospital, 606 Black River Road
• Pawleys Island
  • 2/5/2019: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., The Lakes at Litchfield, 120 Lakes at Litchfield Drive
  • 2/14/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., St. Peter’s Lutheran Church- Pawleys Island, 65 Crooked Oak Drive

Horry

• Aynor
  • 2/1/2019: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Aynor High, 201 Jordanville School
• Conway
  • 1/23/2019: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Student Center, 100 Spadoni Circle, PO BIX 261954
  • 1/23/2019: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Student Center, 100 Spadoni Circle, PO BIX 261954
  • 1/26/2019: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Fountain of Life Ministries, 3065 4th Ave.
  • 1/30/2019: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Horry County Public Safety, 2560 Main Street, Suite #4
  • 2/6/2019: 7 a.m. – 12 p.m., Horry Telephone Cooperative, 3480 Hwy 701 North
  • 2/15/2019: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Conway Medical Center Admin Building, 300 Singleton Ridge Road
• Little River
  • 1/14/2019: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Little River United Methodist Church, 1629 Hwy 17
  • 1/21/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Grace Christian Fellowship, 1223 State Hwy 57 North
  • 2/12/2019: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., McLeod Seacoast Medical Center, 4000 Highway 9 East
• Loris
  • 2/14/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., MCLEOD LORIS, 3655 Mitchell Street
• Murrells Inlet
  • 1/15/2019: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Belin United Methodist Church, 4183 Highway 17 Business
  • 2/2/2019: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church, 2637 Hwy 17 South
• Myrtle Beach
  • 1/14/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/15/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/16/2019: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Santee Cooper – Grand Strand, 305A Gardner Lacy Road
  • 1/16/2019: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/17/2019: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., Healthfinders at Coastal Grand Mall, 2000 Coastal Grand Circle #520
  • 1/17/2019: 11:15 a.m. – 5:15 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/18/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/19/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/19/2019: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Palmetto Pointe Church of God, 3690 Palmetto Pointe Blvd
  • 1/20/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/21/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/22/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/23/2019: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/24/2019: 11:15 a.m. – 5:15 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/25/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/26/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/27/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/28/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/29/2019: 7 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/29/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Socastee High School, 4900 Socastee Boulevard
  • 1/30/2019: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 1/31/2019: 11:15 a.m. – 5:15 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/1/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/1/2019: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Capital Vacations, 9654 North Kings Hwy
  • 2/2/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/3/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/4/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/5/2019: 7 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/6/2019: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/7/2019: 11:15 a.m. – 5:15 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/8/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/9/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/10/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/11/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/12/2019: 7 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/13/2019: 12:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/14/2019: 11:15 a.m. – 5:15 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4
  • 2/15/2019: 7:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m., Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center, 3681 Renee Drive Unit #4

• North Myrtle Beach
  • 1/25/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Barefoot Resort, 4980 Barefoot Resort Bridge Rd
  • 2/5/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., King of Glory Lutheran Church, 805 11th Ave North, and Jordan Rd
  • 2/9/2019: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Walmart-Myrtle Beach North, 550 Hwy 17 North
• Surfside Beach
  • 2/7/2019: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Surfside United Methodist Church, 800 13th Avenue North

Lee

• Bishopville
  • 1/17/2019: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., South Carolina Cotton Museum, 121 West Cedar Lane
  • 1/22/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Lee Central High School, 1800 Wisacky Hwy

Marion

• Marion
  • 2/6/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Marion County Administration, 2523 Easy Hwy 76

Marlboro

• Bennettsville
  • 1/29/2019: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Marlboro County High School, 951 Fayetteville Ave Extension
  • 2/11/2019: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., SC Department of Transportation, 474 Route 38 South

Williamsburg

• Hemingway
  • 1/28/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Ebenezer United Methodist Church, 1760 Muddy Creek Road
• Kingstree
  • 2/7/2019: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Santee Electric Cooperative, 424 Sumter Highway

How to donate blood: Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.