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Blood Shortage Reported in the Permian Basin

There's a blood shortage in the Permian Basin and United Blood Services is in need of all types of blood. ?
Zora Asberry
NewsWest 9

PERMIAN BASIN - There's a blood shortage in the Permian Basin and United Blood Services is in need of all types of blood.

Currently, United Blood Services is in critical appeal, meaning that they have one day worth of blood on the shelves and they need the people of the Permian Basin to donate.

"During the summer months it's really low, and then you come into the winter months and it's usually not as low. But it's basically because we've had so many tragedies with these wrecks and everything and that's what happened here in the Permian Basin," Dianne Scott, Representative Recruiter with United Blood Services, said.

United Blood Services hosts up to two drives a day but due to the low supply they are trying to get all of the participation they can get.

"We need all O-negative or all negative types of blood. It doesn't have to necessarily be O but we need all negative types of blood, which can be A-negative, B-negative. But when it comes down to it, we need all types of blood," Scott said.

Two local donors from Odessa donate as often as they can to save as many lives as possible.

"My husband has a really good blood type that can be used for any type, which is O-negative. I have A-positive so we try to give as often as we can," Sam and Barbara Smith said.

Midland Dentistry 4 Kids heard about the blood shortage and decided to have a blood drive of their own.

"They said we'll go ahead and do a blood drive and do whatever we can to get some more donations," Mayte Meza, with Midland Dentistry 4 Kids, said.

The blood drive will be this Thursday, January 22 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Midland Dentistry 4 Kids. United Blood Services will be handing out t-shirts, prizes and Texas Roadhouse coupons for all who attend.

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