Supply of blood is at critical level Area centers ISSUE urgent plea for all DONOR types

Beccy Metzger wanted to mark what would have been her niece's 24th birthday by giving a special gift in her honor.

So Metzger arrived early at Heartland Blood Center's Elgin clinic.

"I'm donating platelets in her memory, in celebration of her birthday," the Elgin woman said.

Her niece, Hannah Green, died of leukemia in June. Her birthday was Valentine's Day.

Metzger's touching gesture meant more than she knows.

Aurora-based Heartland Blood Center is facing a blood supply shortage as all levels of blood, except AB positive, have been dropping in recent weeks, said Ammie Tabone, the center's public relations director.

"Our inventory changes daily -- today we are at less than a two-day supply (of red blood cells) for B positive, and we are at a one-day or less supply of O negative, B negative and AB negative," Tabone said.

Blood types O negative and B negative are at critically low levels, Tabone said.

"O negative is the most transfused blood type available because it is the universal donor," Tabone said. "In emergency situations, if there is no time to type a person's blood, (emergency personnel) will use O negative."

The blood type only accounts for 6.5 percent of the nation's population, so it is considered a rare type, she said.

B negative is even more rare, accounting for just 1.4 percent of the nation's blood population, she said.

January tends to be a tough collection month every year for centers across the country, but donations usually bounce back by February. That has not happened, however, over the past few weeks of frigid weather.

"We are coming off a tough month, and the upturn is not happening," Tabone said.

For information on donating, people may call (800) 7-TO-GIVE.

"We are pleading for all eligible donors ... to please do so immediately so that others may get the treatment they need," said Ann McKanna, Heartland's vice president of marketing and new business development.