URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) -- Every day, patients need blood for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's for cancer treatments, surgeries, or after traumatic situations. As the summer months approach, doctors know the need grows.
Dr. Kurt Bloomstrand, an OSF emergency room doctor, said he sees more people getting hurt in car crashes, bike accidents, or even while doing yard work. But, before patients see him, they sometimes see first responders on scene.
You can never predict when an emergency will happen, and that's why people go to ImpactLife in Urbana.
"Certainly, that donation is supporting the overall blood inventory level of the organization that keeps blood on the shelf here in the community," Kirby Winn, the ImpactLife public relations manager, said.
It can be used in hospitals across the Midwest, including OSF's Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana.
"Please think about giving blood, and especially in the warm months, because the need for blood rises and we need to match that with donations," Bloomstrand said.
Besides just sending a message about the importance of donations, he knows the relationship between first responders and ER doctors is important, too.
"We go out on a lot of traumatic incidents, and some of the higher-level EMS ambulances or helicopters actually carry blood," Bloomstrand said.
Some helicopters in Central Illinois have started bringing blood on board.
"We know that the sooner we can get them blood transfusions, the better off the patient outcomes are," the doctor added.
But the donated blood has to be processed somewhere, and that all starts at the blood bank. Employees help with blood donations and distribution. In Urbana, ImpactLife currently has about 180-200 units of blood in a chilled room that can be used. Kylan DuBose, a supervisor, said that's pretty average.
Knowing a center just steps away from the ER is ready to assist makes Bloomstrand breathe a little bit easier.
"You really are a lifesaver. At that point in time, when the patient needs blood, it really could change somebody's life," Bloomstrand said.