LifeServe Blood Center is asking community members to help combat critically low levels of blood products they provide to hospitals.

LifeServe is the sole provider of blood products to 161 hospitals throughout the Midwest, and Director of Public Relations & Marketing Shay Wills reports that as of Wednesday morning, five of the eight blood types that they give hospitals have reached critically low levels. Willis says that these low levels of blood products creates a risk for patients at hospitals they serve.

“If LifeServe can’t provide the blood and blood products to the hospitals that we service, then ultimately there’s a risk that they can’t take care of the patients that have come into their facilities for health care. So, we always encourage people to make blood donation a habit and something that they do on a regular basis, because there truly is not a replacement for blood and blood products and so we have to receive those continually in order to meet our patient’s needs that are in our hospitals.”

To help with the need for blood products, LifeServe will be hosting two blood drives and a promotion in Marion and Warren Counties this month. The first community blood drive will be held at Southeast Warren High School on Wednesday, April 10th from 9 am to 1 pm. There will also be a community blood drive in Indianola on Saturday, April 13th from 7-11:30 am at Trinity United Presbyterian Church. The LifeServe Donor Center in Pella will also be teaming up with Pizza Ranch the week of Monday, April 22nd, to give donors a free adult buffet coupon.

To schedule a blood donation appointment or learn more about LifeServe, visit their website here.