There continues to be a blood supply shortage across the nation, which includes Colorado. January is National Blood Donor Month, which recognizes the importance of giving blood products. We hope you’ll consider signing up to donate at the next Lamar blood drive.

For the past few years, the American Red Cross has been navigating a national blood shortage to the best of their ability. Donations decreased drastically in 2020 during the COVID pandemic and have still not bounced back.

“There continues to be a shortage of blood donations,” said Tress Gadash, Laboratory Manager at Prowers Medical Center, “and facilities like Prowers Medical Center depend on healthy individuals to fulfill this need.”

Blood Uses at Prowers Medical Center

In 2022, Prowers Medical Center received its Level IV Trauma Center designation from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. This requires sufficient emergency-room and surgical staffing, processes to triage trauma patients, and an adequate supply of blood products available.

“Ensuring a sufficient inventory of blood products at Prowers Medical Center is vital for our community,” Gadash said. “On average, we care for 25 trauma patients a month. If the patients are critical enough to require a mass transfusion of blood products, we could use a large portion of our inventory in a short period of time. We have developed plans to quickly replenish our inventory, but we depend on Vitalant Blood Center to have a supply on their shelves to assist us in these life-or-death situations.”

Prowers Medical Center transfuses an average of 36 units of blood each quarter, including inpatients and outpatients.

In 2024, we’re offering our popular Health Fair once each quarter! For just $25, you’ll receive seven essential blood tests (eight for men) that help you and your providers stay on top of your health.

Call 719-336-8363 to schedule your bloodwork for the month(s) of your choice: January, April, July and/or October!

Why and How to Donate

The only way blood banks are stocked is through the donations of community members. Blood products cannot be manufactured, and they don’t last indefinitely. Donated red blood cells must be used within 42 days, and fresh-frozen plasma can be kept for one year if frozen within eight hours of collection.

Prowers Medical Center rotates inventory every week to maintain a fresh and adequate supply. Shipments arrive weekly from Vitalant’s Denver location. Vitalant is the nation’s largest independent, nonprofit blood-bank organization, uniting a network of 120 donation centers across the country. During emergencies, Prowers Medical Center can reach out to local EMS and neighboring hospitals for blood products as well.

Winter is a critical time to donate blood because supplies often run short across the nation during the holiday season and inclement weather. Vitalant has recently begun routinely calling and texting donors to remind them to donate throughout the year.

To donate blood in Colorado, you must be 18 years old (or 17 with parental permission), weigh 110 pounds or more, and be in good health and feeling well. Most people who take medications can still donate, although some prescription drugs, such as blood thinners, prevent donation. Nationally, only 3% of eligible people donate blood at least once a year or more. Gadash encourages Prowers County community members to donate blood every two months if possible. “The need is there,” he said.

To give blood in Lamar, visit donors.vitalant.org to sign up for the next community blood drive at Lamar Christian Church, 811 South Main Street. You may choose to give a pint of whole blood, which takes less than an hour, or “power red,” which is a larger red-blood-cell-only donation.