Blood Supplies Low After Ike

Although area blood supplies have been running low lately, Hurricane Ike made the need for whole blood and platelets even more dire. Four days without operational blood centers left the blood supply badly depleted as facilities housing the blood lost power and people injured by the hurricane needed what little supplies were left. It is estimated that around 900 blood donations are needed every day to keep up with current demand.

If you've been wondering how you can help out your fellow Houstonians in the aftermath of Ike, donating blood is one way to do it. It will only take a short amount of your time, doesn't cost you any money and is an incredible way to help ameliorate a desperate situation. The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has been setting up donation centers across the Houston metro area. Both regular donation centers and mobile donation centers are now ready to receive much-needed donations from the local community and replenish their supplies.

Regular donations centers are currently open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day and can be found throughout town:

• Bill T. Teague (Headquarters): 1400 La Concha Lane (Reliant Stadium area)
• Champions: 6935 FM 1960 West, Suite A (at Cutten Road)
• Cy-Fair: 11811 FM 1960 West, Suite 120
• Gulfgate: 546 Gulfgate Center (behind Chuck E. Cheese)
• Humble/Kingwood: 9616 FM 1960 Bypass (Commons at Deerbrook shopping center)
• Katy: 1575 S. Grand Parkway, Suite 600 (at Highland Knolls)
• Pasadena: 5124 Fairmont Parkway (next to J.C. Penney)
• Sugar Land: 4949 Sweetwater Blvd. (next to Kroger)
• Westchase: 10001 Westheimer, Suite 2117 (Carillon Shopping Center)
• The Woodlands: 3091 College Park Drive, Suite 130

Mobile donation centers run on different schedules, so be sure to check the times below before heading out to donate:

• St Joseph Medical Center (7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.): 1919 La Branch
• Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. (10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.): 10205 Westheimer, Suite 300
• VA Medical Center (9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.): 2002 Holcombe
• San Jacinto Methodist Hospital (10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.): 4401 Garth Road, Baytown
• Wharton County Jr. College (10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.): 911 Boling Highway, Wharton
• AMS (1:30 to 5:00 p.m.): 3001 Earl Rudder Freeway South, College Station

More information about donating blood, including what to expect and who can donate, can be found at www.giveblood.org or by calling the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center at 713.790.1200 or 888.482.5663.

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Photo courtesy of Flickr user Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center.