It's never a bad time to give blood, but the San Diego Blood Bank says the winter months have an even greater need. Fewer people tend to donate during this time of year due to the holidays and school closures, according to the organization.
On Wednesday, the Blood Bank teamed up with San Diego County Credit Union for their annual multi-location blood drive.
“Well I've been a donor for close to four years now,” said blood donor Francisco Martinez.
He was at the Encinitas site giving blood on his lunch break. For him, donating blood is part of a higher calling — a greater purpose.
Martinez is currently in the deacon program for the Catholic Church and plans to start a ministry at Rady Children’s Hospital in the near future.
“A friend of mine's son got sick and so he needed a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, his son died. So we just keep donating blood in remembrance of him,” Martinez said.
Claudine Van Gonka, director of community relations with the San Diego Blood Bank, said while supplies aren't at critical levels like they had been in the last few years, they're still below where they should be and more donations are needed.
“We're at about a two and a half day supply of most types. And to put it into context we like to keep at least a seven day supply on the shelf of all types, so not really great on those types,” Van Gonka said. “But particularly were low on those (Type) Os, O-positive and O-negative.”
Type O-negative is the universal donor, which means anyone can accept their blood. Van Gonka said that only 7% of the population has that specific type.
Regular donor Tim Lovenberg has Type O-negative. He said he’s given over five gallons of blood throughout his life.
“I know some people get squeamish or feel like they're going to faint, but it's easy to do, it doesn't take very long and it's just the right thing to do,” he said. “I kind of feel like it's my responsibility to help because they give the blood to the NIC units, and to cancer patients and emergency.”
Van Gonka said anyone who is of general good health, at least 17 years old and 110 pounds or more can donate blood.
People can donate year-round by finding a location near them at sandiegobloodbank.org.
