DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — The Lifesouth Blood Center has a major need for blood donations.
Giving blood is crucial right now because they are looking to save a young woman patient in the Gainesville, Fla. area suffering from an acute sickle cell crisis.
This is when sickle cells in blood vessels are stuck and can cause pain — and even strokes which is the situation with this particular patient.
She needs ongoing blood transfusions from matched donors — they have searched the entire history of donors in Lifesouth history, but have only found 8 matched donors only getting one of them.
They have also searched a national database to find a match but haven’t found one yet.
Dr. Chris Lough says it’s rare but African American donors tend to be the best match to save this patient’s life.
Therefore, they are asking donors of all races in the Wiregrass to step in and roll up their sleeves, especially those who are African American.
“We have the largest sickle cell population in the country,” Dr. Lough said. LifeSouth’s footprint goes up to Atlanta, all throughout Alabama, and north central Florida where a large population of sickle cell patients lives if not the largest.”
Dr. Lough said these blood donations will stay in the southeast. A 30-minute time commitment to donate blood can save up to three lives.
You can visit the Dothan blood center to donate or the website to keep up with the drives in your local area.
