Donors answer blood shortage

By NORMA CONNOLLY, norma@cfp.ky

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Blood donors flocked to the Blood Bank this week to answer a plea for three blood types that were in severe shortage.

“We have our quota now. The response was really good,” said medical technologist Judith Clarke of the Blood Bank on Tuesday evening.

On Monday, the Blood Bank issued an appeal for types B, A and O negative blood donors to come forward because the Cayman Islands Hospital was in urgent need of the blood.

She said that people with all types of blood had donated.

Ms Clarke said the shortage occurred because patients with blood types B, A and O negative who were bleeding badly had come through the emergency room of the hospital. “They all had rare blood types,” she said.

“We don’t have a lot of donors of those types on island, but the appeal helped to find some new people with these blood types,” she added.

The Blood Bank had set a target to attract 1,000 regular donors by the end of this year. As of this month, the Blood Bank has 900 registered donors.

Restrictions on individuals who have lived or spent a cumulative time of three months or more in the UK from 1 January, 1980 to 31 December, 1996 are still in place due to fears over Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease, or CJD, also known as Mad Cow Disease.

To donate blood, contact the Blood Bank on 244–2267 or 244–2677.