A local agency supplying blood to area hospitals issue a critical appeal for a blood type.

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks has issued the appeal for Type O Negative blood. According to a release from the CBCO, this is less than a done day supply available of that type. 

Eligible donors are encouraged to give immediately at one of the Blood Donor Centers located in Springfield, Joplin, Bentonville, or Springdale. Donations would also be accepted at one of three Mobile Blood Drives in the region next week. Those drives are on Monday (6/3) at the Elks Lodge in Holiday Island, Tuesday (6/4) at the Elks Lodge in Kimberling City, and on Thursday (6/6) at the First Baptist Church in Ozark. 

The complete release from the CBCO is below:

Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO), the sole supplier of blood, platelets, and plasma to patients at 45 area healthcare facilities, urgently needs O Negative blood.
The current supply is critically low, with less than one day’s worth of O Negative blood available. Eligible donors are strongly urged to give immediately. 

O Negative blood is crucial in emergencies when there is not time to type and match a patient. Emergencies, like the recent storms, highlight the importance of maintaining a strong stable blood supply since it is the blood that has already been donated, tested, and processed that hospitals rely on in urgent situations. With recent power outages and storm damage anticipated to cause some blood drive cancellations and hinder blood donations, the shortage is expected to intensify. 

“CBCO is currently facing shortages of O negative blood, with reserves at critically low levels. As the sole provider of blood to area hospitals, this shortage has a significant local impact,” said CBCO Media Relations Representative, Michelle Teter. “With the school year ending, we are relying on our local community-based donors to help maintain an adequate blood supply. If you are eligible, we urge you to donate. If you have never donated before, now is the perfect time to start. A simple act of kindness today can help save lives in a tragedy tomorrow.”

All donors will receive a custom three-quarter sleeve Springfield Cardinals baseball T-shirt and TWO FREE TICKETS to an upcoming Springfield Cardinals home game, while supplies last.

To help avoid wait times, appointments are strongly encouraged. Donors can schedule an appointment at www.cbco.org/donate-blood. 

Donors must be at least 16 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health and may not have given blood in the past 56 days.

On behalf of local hospital patients, CBCO thanks blood donors from across the region for giving life to your community.