SunCoast Blood Centers seeks donations as hurricane season continues

Parrish’s Terry Palmer sat calmly as his blood flowed through a tube into a collection bag. 

Palmer goes to SunCoast Blood Centers every two weeks to donate blood and has donated more than 97 gallons. 

As Hurricane Idalia approached Florida Aug. 29, Palmer knew how important his donation would be as the blood center prepared for the storm. 

Palmer said donating blood and platelets has become a habit for him. 

“If we had people who did half as much as Terry, we would never have to put out a plea (for donations),” said Joan Leonard, the community liaison for SunCoast Blood Centers in Lakewood Ranch.

Leading up to Hurricane Idalia, Leonard hoped more people would donate blood before the hurricane hit. 

Photo by Liz Ramos

Leonard said the low number of donors could have been due to the hurricane potentially not having a large impact on the area or people were scared to leave their homes as the hurricane approached, especially after the impacts of Hurricane Ian last September. 

But fewer donors means less blood supply available for SunCoast Blood Centers and the 15 hospitals it serves throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties and as far north as Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. 

With the hurricane season continuing through November, Leonard hopes more people will donate.

Much like people go to the grocery store to stock up on supplies for a hurricane, Leonard said donating blood should be a part of hurricane preparations. 

As Leonard looked at the shelves that stored blood until it was sent for testing, she wished the shelves were fully stocked. 

“Any time there’s a natural disaster anywhere in our country, we want to build up the supply because somebody is going to need it,” she said. 

Leonard said SunCoast Blood Centers’ priority is serving the hospitals in the area, but the blood center is ready to send blood wherever needed. For example, when Hurricane Ian hit last year, it forced the blood center located in Port Charlotte to be closed for reconstruction. SunCoast Blood Centers’ four other facilities were prepared to fulfill needs in Port Charlotte until that location could be rebuilt, which took about nine months. 

“Our bragging rights are that we serve our community, but in a situation like this, our community is Florida strong,” Leonard said. “We will serve where it’s needed, first taking care of our local people.”

When hurricanes approach, SunCoast Blood Centers doesn’t send out its mobile units. For Hurricane Idalia, that meant approximately 250 units of blood were not collected through mobile units being in the community Aug. 29 and 30. One unit of blood can help three people, Leonard said. 

Leonard said blood expires after 45 days but because of the demand, the center’s inventory has about a three-day turnover. 

After a hurricane, Leonard said the need for blood could increase as a result of injuries during the hurricane or as people are assessing or repairing damage or cleaning their yards. 

Leonard said people can donate blood within 15 minutes and recommends people hydrate and eat before donating. 

“When you think that it could put years on someone’s life, 15 minutes is nothing,” Leonard said.