Lifeline cuts the ribbon on new Dyersburg location to aid in the collection of blood donations

DYERBSURG, TN (WNBJ)-

Today lifeline blood service was finally able to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their Dyersburg location that opened in January. This facility will make it easier for Dyersburg residents and those nearby to give life-saving blood.

“We are dealing with a major blood shortage all over the county right now. Hospital usage is really up and that has contributed to that as we come out of the pandemic. People are going in for procedures they may not have went in for before, they are out and about having more accidents, things like that, all of that’s leading to a greater usage. And on the donor end people are just out of the habit people are just not coming in as much as they were,” says Kaitlin Roach of Lifeline blood services.

Local hospitals are in urgent need of blood to be able to take care of patients Bill Van Sant chooses to help by donating blood whenever he can and urges others to do the same, “I try to give every fifty-six days, we’re allowed to give every fifty-six days as long as we’re healthy. And having O-negative blood which everyone can receive I think it’s extremely important to donate on a regular basis so that it can help save lives. And one pint of blood can help save up to about three people you know different procedures and things like that.”

This new lifeline blood service in Dyersburg is located in the Olympic plaza. The Dyersburg lifeline is open Monday through Wednesday or Saturday and Sunday for walk-in donors.

You can also give blood at the Jackson lifeline Monday through Saturday.

Or you can catch one of the lifeline mobile units.

Lifeline is the sole provider of blood for seventeen hospitals and fourteen ambulances.