Citywide Effort Draws Blood Donors

Youngsters nibbled on cookies and juice while parents and politicians held out their arms and donated blood for the Hermosa Beach Blood Drive at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Sunday. After the original date for the citywide blood drive was pushed back two weeks, organizer Candy Ayllon-McPhail said that she jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with the church.

"So, there were actually two blood drives, one hosted by Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, which was already scheduled for June 6, and our Hermosa Beach Blood Drive," she said.

City Councilman Patrick "Kit" Bobko said that community members should be proud of the drive and Ayllon-McPhail's efforts to organize it.

"I'm here because Candy has taken it upon herself to put it together," Bobko said.

About 70 residents, including Bobko, gave blood. The donations will be allocated to nearby hospitals, including Providence Little Company of Mary in Torrance and San Pedro. Ayllon-McPhail made sure that blood donors received coupons for free Paciugo Gelato and a ticket-for-two to The Comedy and Magic Club on Hermosa Avenue for their contribution.

According to Martie Atkins, a blood donor recruiter for Providence Health and Services, hospitals have the lowest blood supply in the summer.

"But we're barely in mid-June and the supply is surprisingly low," she said. "This may also be due to the overall economy."

Atkins explained that, in the past, businesses would organize drives for employees to donate. But with many companies either downsizing or closing shop, there are fewer that are willing to hold the drives and so that source of blood is dwindling for emergency centers.

"I used to go to a company for 40 units of blood, but now I can barely get 20 units," Atkins said. One unit is equivalent to a pint of blood.

Ayllon-McPhail said local communities should help pick up the slack from fewer company drives.

"This would greatly strengthen our blood supply," she said. "Once people realize that the magnitude of their contribution is the ability to save people's lives, then my hope is that more people will be inclined to donate blood."

The Hermosa Beach Blood Drive collected 48 units of blood. According to Providence, one pint of blood can help save as many as three lives.