Blood bank to celebrate 20 years of donations

LifeSouth says thank you to blood donors in Hernando County.

By BETH N. GREY, Times Correspondent
Published December 12, 2007

SPRING HILL - Florence D'Urso will be near the front of the line Thursday when LifeSouth Community Blood Center thanks its contributors and supporters for 20 years of saving lives in Hernando County.

D'Urso, 76, was the first person in line, arm extended, to donate blood when LifeSouth first opened its doors in 1987. "I walked in and I said to him as she recalls the director at the time, 'would you like a pint of blood?' and he said, 'Lay down.' "

D'Urso is two pints shy of donating 16 gallons of blood to LifeSouth. She doesn't recall how much she donated in her native Parsippany, N.J., before moving to Florida but she said she began donating for two boys in her neighborhood who suffered from hemophilia, a blood disorder. "They needed blood all the time," she said.

"I have three children and I was thankful they were healthy. I just felt it was something I should do," she said.

She donates every 57 days. The staff at LifeSouth knows her well and advises new co-workers, "Don't hurt her."

D'Urso responds, "There's a good deal of Italian blood in Spring Hill.

The ceremony also will recognize 20 charter organizations and five honorable mentions that have been stalwarts of the nonprofit agency that fulfills the blood needs of Oak Hill, Brooksville Regional and Spring Hill Regional hospitals.

"We're the sole provider of blood supply for the three area hospitals," said branch manager Ed Keith. "Our mandate here is we supply our local hospitals first. Anything we have in excess we will share if the need arises." He mentioned such national disasters as Hurricane Katrina that devastated New Orleans and the coastal areas of Mississippi.

"Oh, my goodness," said Keith when asked how sponsors and others have helped. "Some of these organizations do four blood drives a year, some do five. For just one organization that's 100 drives."

Last year, LifeSouth Hernando Branch collected approximately 12,000 units of whole blood and 2,000 units of platelets, "which gave us a buffer," Keith noted. "This year, we're on course to beat that by 3 to 5 percent," he said.

The agency's two bloodmobiles are out in the community daily, he said. Also, blood donations are taken at the center seven days a week.

Part of the success is due to the demographics of Hernando County.

"For the longest time, and this is true throughout the United States, retirees are the majority of donors. People in that age range have a sense of community and responsibility they feel for serving the community," the director pointed out.

He mentioned as big donors the mainly retirement communities of Timber Pines, Brookridge and Wellington. Even if the bloodmobile isn't in their neighborhood, they'll visit other sites, Keith said.

"Hernando County surpasses the national average because of community responsibility," he noted. About 65 percent of any community's populace is eligible to give blood. Nationwide, about 5 percent of those eligible donate. In Hernando County, 7 percent do.

Keith added, "We're starting to get the younger crowd, 30s and 40s and high school kids. They're starting to develop altruistic donations. Everybody who comes in here is doing it out of the kindness of their heart. They know that every unit of blood can be saving a life in a hospital."

As donations of blood have increased over the years due to the population increase, the need has likewise grown. "We're keeping pace in usage and donations," Keith noted with pride. "Our hospitals have never gone without blood."

Most donors see only the inside of a bloodmobile. But there's much more to LifeSouth's hub. The staff of about 30 includes donor recruiters, phlebotomists and a staff that processes blood.

The latter will be taking on the additional responsibility of processing platelets after the first of the new year. Currently, platelets - removed from whole blood with the red cells returned to the donor's bloodstream - are sent to a lab in Gainesville for processing.

Platelets have a shelf life of only five days, Keith explained. Handling them locally without shipment will lengthen their viability here.

"Platelet usage in our community has gone through the roof," the director emphasized. Platelets, which provide clotting, are necessary in many cases of coronary surgery and chemotherapy, he explained.

"One of the things we're trying to do now is educate the community about the importance of blood, so we try to hit all areas of the county," Keith said.

Helping to make blood-giving convenient, Keith gave accolades to bloodmobile sites as all the Wal-Marts in the county, Pit Boss BBQ on U.S. 19 and Chick-Fil-A on Cortez Boulevard. "The retail establishments in this county are very supportive and they provide a great venue to have a blood drive," Keith said.

To obtain a schedule of bloodmobile visits or donation hours at LifeSouth Center, call 352-596-2002.

20th anniversary

- The LifeSouth Community Blood Center's 20th anniversary celebration is 2 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the center, 12395 Cortez Blvd. Blood donors will receive a 20th anniversary commemorative pin, a recognition gift item, a complimentary gift item, refreshments and cake. All donors 18 and older will be entered to win a Chevrolet Cobalt, courtesy of Palm Gainesville Chevrolet. At 3 p.m., there will be a plaque presentation for the founding donor groups. To donate, you must be at least 17, weigh at least 110 pounds and show a valid photo ID. Call 596-2002.

- Also, LifeSouth will recognize these charter organization sponsors: Oak Hill Hospital, Publix, Grace Presbyterian Church, Hernando Correctional Institution, Brookridge, Hernando County Employees, Springstead High School, Brooksville Health Care Center, SunTrust Bank, High Point, St. Theresa Catholic Church, SubWay, Countryside Estates, Brooksville Regional Hospital, St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, Spartan Electronics, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, First United Methodist Church of Spring Hill, Cemex Inc., Rinker Materials/FCS, Metal Industries, Eckerd Youth, Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative, Hernando County Sheriff's Office, City of Brooksville, Ridge Manor Community Center, Grace Outreach Church.

[Last modified December 11, 2007, 20:45:50]