Memorial Blood Center’s Bloodmobile Is In Bemidji

The Memorial Blood Center’s bloodmobile from St. Paul comes to Bemidji about every three months to get blood donations. Today, it was at the Sanford Medical Center for a community blood drive.

50 percent of the medical center’s blood supply comes from the Memorial Blood Center. Organizers for the blood drive says the turnout has been good. The manager of the laboratory at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center says it’s important to have blood supply on hand to take care of patients.

“Our medical center transfuses about 1,300 units a year. Last year in 2018 it was just over 1,300 units, and so we really can use anyone who will come in and donate. It’s great to make sure we have that consistent blood supply,” Mari Osborne, Manager for the Sanford Bemidji Medical Center Laboratory, said.

On a national level, there’s a blood shortage. Paul Charles with the Memorial Blood Center says in Minnesota the blood bank is seeing a dangerously low supply of O positive and O negative blood. The bloodmobile will still be in Bemidji tomorrow for people to donate blood. According to American Red Cross, one blood donation can potentially save three lives.

“I like to give donors a bit on the nervous side my two guarantees: I guarantee when you come in you’re not as nervous as the person in the hospital who needs your blood, and I guarantee you will not be as much pain as the person in the hospital who needs your blood. So this is how we define you being a hero, you’re volunteering a little bit of pain and facing those nerves in order to help save lives,” said Charles.

Memorial Blood Center Bloodmobile will be located at the Edwards Jones building on Paul Bunyan Drive tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. You can register to donate blood at mbc.org.