INDIANAPOLIS— On Tuesday morning, Philip Zillinger is checking in at a Versiti Blood Center in Indianapolis. It’s a stop he makes once a month.
“It’s the right thing to do,” said Zillinger.
On this day he’s donating platelets, but has been a whole blood donor for a long time.
“I donated for the first time in 1967,” said Zillinger.
Now, Indiana is in critical need of blood. Versiti Blood Center is the primary blood provider to 95 hospitals in Indiana and they say they’re in need.
“The snow and weather we’ve gotten, along with the many illnesses we’ve seen a real decrease in blood donation,” said Penny Schroeder, the area vice president.
Schroeder says they are 700 red blood cells behind for January and have a less than one day supply of O positive, O negative, and B negative on hospital shelves.
“Those are critical blood types for people in an emergency or experiencing trauma,” said Schroeder.
“It saved my life and it can save many other lives,” said Divinity Crittendon.
Crittendon needed help from blood donations almost two years ago.
“I went to give birth and next thing I know I woke up on a ventilator,” said Crittendon.
During an Emergency C-section, Crittendon needed 276 units of blood.
“How extremely blessed I am because there are people out there donating and how thankful I am to each and every one of those people that I don’t even know,” said Crittendon.
If you would like to donate you schedule an appointment by calling (317) 916-5150 or visit Versiti.org [versiti.org] to find a donor center or community blood drive in your area. Walk-in donors are also welcome.
Donor center locations:
- CARMEL: 726 Adams St., Suite 150
- FISHERS: 11005 Allisonville Road
- GREENWOOD: 8739 U.S. 31 South
- INDIANAPOLIS: 3450 N. Meridian St.
- LAFAYETTE: 2200 Elmwood Ave., Suite D-16
- TERRE HAUTE: 2021 S. Third St.
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