MADISON, Ala. — In north Alabama, LifeSouth operates dozens of buses, or Blood Mobiles, to encourage people to give blood.
It's needed because of the nonprofit organization's extensive reach from the Tennessee state line all the way to Cullman. It's the main blood provider for the Huntsville Hospital System and the secondary provider for Crestwood Medical Center. And to upkeep the blood supply, they need hundreds of donors every single day.
"There's not a synthetic way to make blood," said Becky Cecil, LifeSouth's district community development coordinator. "So, if the hospitals don't have the blood they need on hand, there's not a plan B."
Getting the blood from your body and into a bag is quite the process. Blood Mobiles take whole blood, red blood cells, platelets and plasma from all over north Alabama to the Madison Boulevard facility. From there, it's flown to Atlanta for testing and back again for processing.
The blood is then delivered to the hospital, which often goes through the blood faster than it's being delivered. That need only grows during the holidays.
"We see hospital usage go up and donor flow kind of drop off a little bit because people are traveling," Cecil said. "It's the holidays. You're not thinking, 'Oh, I need to go donate blood.' So today, on Giving Tuesday, we're encouraging people to come out, donate (and) support our local hospitals. Because what bigger way to give than to save a life?"
In fact, Cecil said one donor can provide enough blood to save the lives of up to three people. But because the nonprofit needs so many donors every day, they give out rewards for donating.
"We'll have a $20 e-gift card," Cecil said. "And if they choose to do automation like a double red blood cell, or something like that, they'll get an additional $20 gift card. So, you could leave here with a $40 gift card. We also have really cute T-shirts, and you get the knowledge that you have saved up to three lives."
And to save lives, donor Terri Burdette said she comes in regularly to give what she feels is the biggest contribution she can provide.
"Platelets," Burdette said. "It goes to cancer patients, and it has a very short shelf life. And I just think that's something I can do for my community."
The Community Blood Center in Madison is open every day except for Christmas this year, and the LifeSouth Blood Mobiles can be found all over north Alabama.