CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coastal Bend Blood Center is in desperate need of Type O-negative blood following the explosion at the Port of Corpus Christi Friday morning that left six people injured.
The center’s marketing director Ashley Ramirez said the facility had to transfer many units of the universal Type O-negative blood to local trauma centers as a result. That response is now creating a greater need for donations.
“The blood that was used to transfer to these local victims due to this catastrophe is the blood that was donated weeks ago,” Ramirez said. “So we want to make sure that you know that blood has a certain shelf life. Whole blood is only good for 42 days, so that is why it is extremely, extremely vital to donate blood consistently.”
Although appointments for Friday are over, the center is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Ramirez said, even though the center always needs donations, she hopes community members can work to set up an appointment in the coming weeks to help make up for the lack of blood.
The Coastal Bend Blood Center can be reached at (361) 855-4943. Its website can be found here.
On Monday, it is set to have a mobile blood donation center set up outside Kohl’s from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
