The Pasadena region’s only major trauma hospital, Huntington Memorial, faces a critical blood shortage and is issuing an urgent appeal for blood donations.
“We are currently experiencing a critical shortage of O-Negative Blood,” the Huntington’s Blood Donor Center website warns.
Huntington Memorial Hospital operates the only trauma unit in the entire San Gabriel Valley. It is responsible for providing medical care to a community of two million.
Blood type O negative is considered the universal donor as it may be used for transfusions for patients of all blood groups.
If stocks of O negative blood fall too low, doctors might not be able to perform necessary transfusions for emergency cases, which is one of the trauma ward’s primary functions.
The Blood Donor Center at Huntington Hospital provides comprehensive whole blood donation services. Blood components collected at this facility are used by patients at Huntington Hospital.
Blood donations will benefit Huntington patients in immediate need of blood.
The Blood Donor Center is open Monday 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call the Donor Center at (626) 397-5422.