Ochsner St. Mary hosts blood drive Thursday

Ochsner St. Mary will host one of a series of blood drives for the Ochsner Blood Bank in June.

All blood types will be accepted, but Ochsner said the blood bank is “experiencing a critical shortage of platelets and Type O red cells.”

The Ochsner St. Mary drive will be 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday at the hospital, 1125 Marguerite St., Mor-gan City.

Blood donations go directly to the Ochsner blood bank, which supports over 70% of Ochsner’s blood needs for patients at Ochsner hospitals, the health system said.

In addition, Ochsner Blood Bank participates in blood-resource sharing with other local community hospitals. Healthy blood donors are encouraged to donate every eight weeks in order to maintain an adequate blood inventory.

Blood donors must:

--Be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds.

--Be over cold or flu symptoms for 72 hours.

--Have had no dental work (including cleaning) in the last 72 hours.

--Have not donated whole blood in the last eight weeks.

--Have had no transfusions in the last three months.

--Have not lived with a person who has hepatitis in the last 12 months.

--Have had no tattoos or piercings in the last month from a facility that is regulated by the state of Louisiana; or in the last 3 months from a facility that is not regulated by the state of Louisiana.