For Michelle Robinson, donating apheresis platelets has just become part of her normal routine. She donates once every two weeks.

“I’ve been doing it since the beginning of the program, what 13- 14 years. So I just feel it’s important for our cancer patients and whoever else might need them.” Michelle Robinson said.

Right now, the need for blood is in the community is classified as a severe shortage.

“People around the holidays they forget to donate blood because basically they get caught up in holiday activities, not to mention on top of that, we are still experiencing some individuals coming in after being sheltered for COVID and they are coming out with medical conditions that are very serious and requiring a lot of blood donations.” The Executive Director of the Community Blood Bank Ken Versteeg said.

They are looking for 100 donors to meet the local need.

“At this point in time we’re using anywhere from 550 to 600 units of blood per week in our community here and in order for us to keep that supply going and meet those demands, we need volunteers, we need people to come out and give. If we don’t have that I hate to see what would happen and we don’t want to have to cancel surgeries, we don’t want to have to go down that way.”

All of the blood donated stays in the community.

“I think it’s kind of cool knowing it goes to our cancer patients here or maybe a trauma or a mom in need or something like that.”

You can sign up to donate blood at a blood drive or in a donor room setting here