NEW ORLEANS — The Blood Center and local doctors are asking for urgent help.
They say with schools out, and the recent stretch of stormy weather, there's a severe blood shortage. On top of that, people are now having the surgery they postponed during the pandemic, and that all adds up to a call for donors.
The day before quarantine lockdown, Maddi Tripp's home pregnancy test was positive, but seven weeks later, at her first prenatal visit, came the real surprise.
“I asked the ultrasound tech, like jokingly, I was like, ‘There's just one in there, right?’ And she was like, ‘Actually, I see something else over here,” said Maddi Tripp, mother of nine-month-old twins.
But that double dose of joy was replaced by fear when Reid and Asher came 12 weeks early, and had to stay in the NICU.
“Actually I’ve never talked about it before like this I guess, but they were changing his bedding and I just so happened to be visiting the NICU and I got to hold him like in his little wrap up,” Tripp said about finally getting to hold her baby for the first time.
Asher needed a heart procedure. They both needed blood transfusions to survive.
“The fact that he had to have three blood transfusions, you know, to save his life, is definitely the reason we're here today,” said Tripp’s mother, Sarada Bonnett.
The family is lending their voices to those of several doctors who are warning about the critically low supply of blood, for life-saving surgeries.
“The situation is gotten extremely critical at Tulane, and the other hospitals that I cover, so much so that we've had to do some postponing of organ transplantations,” said Dr. Tim Peterson, Medical Director of The Blood Center and Medical Director-Blood Bank-Tulane Health System.
And for car wrecks and victims of violence.
“We have been running, giving out more blood for the last three or four months than we ever had before,” said Dr. Shaun Lawicki, Medical Director of Transfusion and Apheresis Services/Blood Bank, Director of Coagulation Lab, UMCNO, Assistant Professor of Pathology, LSUHSC.
And for sickle cell anemia patients.
“They need blood transfusions, a lot of blood transfusions, and if we can't do that for the folks that are hurting most in our community, than what kind of community are we,” said
Dr. Corey Hebert, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine
And for babies and children with cancer.
“There's some days when I walk in, I have two or three units left. It's a very dire situation,” said Dr. Matthew Stark, MD, Director of Transfusion Services, Children’s Hospital and an LSUHSC Pediatric Pathologist.
And for people finally getting the elective surgery they postponed because of COVID
"The possibility of a real blood shortage would be absolutely devastating if we allow that to continue,” said Dr. Jennifer Avegno, Director, New Orleans Health Department and ER Physician University Medical Center.
“We're asking and begging people to please go,” added Bonnett.
And for families, like that of the twins, who are grateful for a happy ending.
It doesn't matter if you've been vaccinated or not, any donors 17 and older are needed. There is a special call for O-negative type blood.
Here are a list of upcoming blood drives in the Greater New Orleans area.
May 25
- Lakeshore Playground 1125 Rosa Ave Metairie 5pm - 9pm
- Mid City Community Blood Drive 3500 Canal Street New Orleans 10am-7pm
- Tulane-Lakeside Hospital 4700 I-10 Service Road Metairie 10am-6pm
- YMCA-Covington 71256 Francis Road Covington 10am-7pm
May 26
- Children's Hospital State Street Conference Ctr. New Orleans 10am-7pm
- First United Methodist Church of Gautier 2717 Hwy 90 Gauthier 10am-3pm
- Kings Grant Playground 3805 15th Street Harvey 5pm-9pm
- Slidell Community Blood Drive 101 Harbor Center Blvd Slidell 10am-7pm
- St. John Parish Sheriff's Office 947 Cambridge Drive LaPlace 10am-3pm
May 27
- Clearview City Center 4436 Veterans Blvd. Metairie 10am-7pm
- Lakeview Community Blood Drive 998 Germain New Orleans 10am-7pm
- Miley Playground 6716 West Metairie Ave Metairie 5pm-9pm
- Oak Park Village of Hammond 17010 Old Covington Hwy. Hammond 3pm-7pm
- St. John Parish Clerk of Court 2393 LA-18 Edgard 9am-1pm
May 28
- Creole Tomateaux 1851 Florida St. Mandeville 3:30pm-8:30pm
- Galliano Donor Center 14834 Main Street Cut Off 11am-6pm
- Johnny Jacobs Playground 5851 5th Ave. Marrero 5pm-9pm
- MALCO Theatres & Premier Lanes 1406 North Airline Hwy. Gonzales 4pm-8pm
- Wal-Mart (Houma - West) 1633 Martin Luther King Blvd. Houma 1pm-6pm
May 29
- Denham Springs Donor Center 1971 Florida Ave SW Denham Springs 10am-4pm
- Great American Cookies and Marble Slab-Mandeville 3555 U.S. Hwy 190 Mandeville 11am-4pm
- Pontiff Playground 1521 Palm Street Metairie 11am-4pm
- Sam's Club - Kenner 455 31st Street Kenner 12pm-5pm
- Southland Mall 5953 West Park Ave. Houma 12pm-7pm
May 30
- Ascension of Our Lord Catholic Church 805 Fairway Dr. Laplace 8:30am-12:30pm
- Southland Mall 5953 West Park Ave. Houma 12pm-5pm
- Wal-Mart Bogalusa 401 Ontario Ave Bogalusa 11am-4pm