Lee Health seeking O positive blood donors

Lee Health is asking the community for O positive blood donations to help refill inventory levels.
As home to the region’s only trauma center, it is vital that Lee Health’s blood supply remains at healthy levels in order to quickly care for patients needing an urgent transfusion. Blood and blood products are not only used in the trauma center, but also to treat cancer patients, premature babies, anemia and a variety of other conditions.
Lee Health’s blood centers are the sole supplier of all blood products for the entire health system, and no blood donated at the centers is every exported out of Southwest Florida. About 800 units of blood are needed per week, and the blood centers rely on life-saving donations from the community to maintain inventory levels.
Though there is a current need for O positive blood, donors of all blood types are welcomed and encouraged to help serve the needs of our community. Anyone who is at least 17 years old, or 16 years old with parental permission, weighs at least 115 pounds and is in good overall health is eligible to donate blood. A person can donate blood approximately every eight weeks.
For more information, call 239-343-2333 or visit www.leehealth.org/bloodcenter.