Children's Hospital Los Angeles' blood supply hit critically low levels this week, hospital officials said Wednesday.
The hospital needs an average of 2,000 units of blood and blood components per month to treat its pediatric patients. CHLA hopes to garner 65 donors per day in July to replenish its low blood and platelet levels. The hospital houses its own blood donor center and a traveling bloodmobile to collect donations.
"We strongly encourage members of our community to please make an appointment with us to donate. Tell your friends, family members and coworkers to join you so that you can make a difference and possibly save a child's life," Ajay Perumbeti, MD, CHLA's director of transfusion medicine, said in a news release emailed to Becker's.
The American Red Cross also announced a critical blood shortage Wednesday, saying it's sending blood donations to hospitals faster than it can collect them. Blood donation levels failed to meet required minimums for the past two months, causing 61,000 fewer donations than needed.
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