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Hoxworth making emergency appeal

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Hoxworth is issuing an emergency appeal for donations. The center says its blood supplies are critically low.

Spokeswoman Alecia Lipton says all blood types are needed.

"We have seen a decline in blood donations," says Lipton. "Some of that has been caused by the flu, a little because of the weather and school cancelations, but mostly we've seen donor apathy. People just thinking, 'Oh, I'll do it later.' We've really been hit negatively with that for about the past month."

Lipton says Hoxworth's last emergency appeal was about a year ago, in January 2014.

"Unfortunately, we're not able to get blood from other communities at this time because nationally we're also seeing a decrease in blood donations," says Lipton.

Hoxworth serves 30 hospitals in the tristate.

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In Dayton, Community Blood Center reports its inventory is adequate.

Spokesman Mark Pompilio says it has been a couple of years since Community Blood Center issued its last emergency appeal.

"We've been lucky in that regard," he says.

Pompilio says usage is down because hospitals are taking different approaches to how they handle transfusions.

However, the says there's always a need for type O negative blood.
 

Senior Editor and reporter at WVXU with more than 20 years experience in public radio; formerly news and public affairs producer with WMUB. Would really like to meet your dog.