While attending a leadership camp for her high school’s student council, Paige Fehland, then 15-years old, discovered that she was getting bumps and bruises on her body.
To relieve the pain, she took medication that she quickly found out she was allergic to. It caused her sever internal bleeding. She was in the hospital for five days. Thanks to a blood transfusion, Fehland recovered.
Now 21-years old and a senior at University of Memphis, Fehland is now the face of Lifeblood, who is currently experiencing their own blood crisis.
Lifeblood faces an extreme shortage of blood, and they are asking everyone to go out and donate.
“Unfortunately this time of the year when the weather is cold, people don’t want to get out as much,” Jennifer Gladstone, a PR manager for Lifeblood, said. “After the holidays people’s schedules are not back to normal. So, donating blood kind of falls to the bottom of the priorities.”
Lifeblood is in greatest need of O-negative blood types because it is the universal blood type that can transfer to all of patients. A-negative and B-negative are also in short supply.
Gladstone also said that, “every blood type is needed, because we have so many patients.”
Lifeblood will have a blood drive on March 2 at the Michael D. Rose Theatre Lecture Hall. On the same day, they will be moving their East Memphis center to a new place at Audubon Place.
Almost anyone healthy can donate blood. Donors must weigh at least 115 pounds and needed to feel healthy and well that day. A person who is 16-years old must have parent consent or 17 on your own,
Fehland is feeling fine, and though she is experiencing upset stomach, it will not stop her from bringing awareness to give blood.
“I would encourage anyone to go out and give blood. If you think you can to give blood, you should try,” Fehland said.
Lifeblood has been in the Memphis community since 1974 as the leading provider of blood to area hospitals. Over 100,000 units of blood and blood products are supplied by Lifeblood every year.
If someone is looking for more information about donating blood, they can visit www.lifeblood.org, or they call at 901-529-6300.
