DAVENPORT, IOWA (June 30, 2023) — Thunderstorms that moved through the ImpactLife service region yesterday afternoon led to widespread power outages and a loss of approximately seventy donations due to blood drive cancellations, missed appointments, and Donor Center locations that needed to close. Electrical service has now been restored at all locations, and the blood center looks for strong performance at collection events today and over the weekend to help make up for losses in advance of Fourth of July.
“The days leading up to Fourth of July are critical because we know the rate of blood donation will decrease due to the holiday,” said Amanda Hess, Vice President, Donor Relations and Marketing. “But the hospitals and communities we serve will continue to use blood components at the same rate for patient care that cannot be delayed.”
ImpactLife is currently at a 2.5-day supply for type O negative and O positive red blood cells. Donations from all blood types as well as platelet donations are needed to ensure the stability of our region’s blood supply. Donors may schedule appointments by calling (800) 747-5401, online at bloodcenter.org, or via the ImpactLife mobile app (bloodcenter.org/app).
To thank those who give blood over the holiday weekend, ImpactLife will provide a voucher to redeem for the donor’s choice of an electronic gift card or bonus points to use in the blood center’s Donor Rewards store. The value of the electronic gift card has been increased to $25 for whole blood donations made at ImpactLife donor center locations through July 4. All presenting donors will receive:
- Whole Blood donation (Donor Center locations ONLY, through July 4): choice of $25 electronic gift card or 1500 bonus points to use in the ImpactLife Donor Rewards Store;
- Whole Blood donation (mobile blood drives ONLY, through July 23): choice of $10 electronic gift card or 500 bonus points to use in the ImpactLife Donor Rewards Store;
- Double Red Cell donations (through July 23): choice of $25 electronic gift card or 1500 bonus points;
- Platelet donation (first or second donation with ImpactLife, through July 23): choice of $50 electronic gift card or 3000 bonus points; and
- Platelet donation (donor has made two or more donations with ImpactLife, through July 23): choice of $25 electronic gift card or 1500 bonus points.
Donor for Life is the ImpactLife scheduling and rewards program. Donors earn points with each donation to redeem for exclusive items recognizing their impact as a volunteer blood donor. For information, see bloodcenter.org/rewards.
About ImpactLife
ImpactLife is a not-for-profit community organization providing blood services to more than 120 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as resource sharing partners across the country. Services extend from southcentral Wisconsin to St Louis, Missouri, and from Danville, Illinois to Chariton, Iowa. (See a map of the ImpactLife service region.) ImpactLife operates 22 Donor Centers and holds approximately 5000 mobile blood-drives annually to provide blood components needed for patient transfusions at hospitals throughout our region.
For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, and YouTube.
