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LifeShare Blood Center holding blood drives to help El Paso victims

4 years 7 months 3 weeks ago Sunday, August 04 2019 Aug 4, 2019 August 04, 2019 10:24 PM August 04, 2019 in News
Source: WBRZ

DENHAM SPRINGS- Several mass shootings in the last week have people lining up to try and prevent more deaths. 

LifeShare Blood Center stationed outside the Bass Pro Shop and Walmart had a rush of donors coming in to donate blood Sunday morning. 

"It's just something I needed to do. It's the little bit I can do to help," said Edward O'Neal. 

After 20 people lost their lives and dozens more were injured in El Paso, doctors in Texas are in desperate need of blood. 

"When patients start losing blood in a tragedy, they may have surgeries coming up, several more surgeries than what they start with, so they'll continue using blood in the next days and weeks," said LifeShare Blood Center Regional Director Stephanie Duplessis. 

Duplessis says, typically in the summer, blood supply is already low. This year it has been notably bad. 

"As of yesterday morning, we were at less than a one day supply of o positive."

And it's not just the El Paso tragedy with patients that are trying to pull from a dwindling supply--
"And then this morning another tragedy happened in Ohio, so we know that it's a strain on their blood supply, it's a strain on ours. We always have to have those regular donors."

In total, they got about 50 pints. 1 pint can save up to 3 lives. 

"So many people lost their lives, and it's very, very sad, and all I can do is pray and help out like this," said Christina Jones. 

LifeShare will be open all week at its donation center at 3849 North Boulevard. 
Monday - Thursday 10:00 - 6:00 and Friday 8:30 - 4:30

Busses for blood donations will be at the Rouses in Denham Springs from 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. and Walmart in Prairieville from 3 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. 

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