WATCH: Urgent Donation Drive at Holmes Regional Medical Center Meets Blood Supply Emergency

“This drive today directly supports Health First as LifeSouth has committed to delivering half of what it receives back to Health First,” a spokesman said.
May 07, 2024
IN RESPONSE to the cyberattack on Health First's primary blood supplier, OneBlood, that regionally left supplies critically low, Health First and LifeSouth Community Blood Centers worked together to host an emergency blood drive at Holmes Regional Medical Center. The event saw an outpouring of support as donors lined up to help replenish the blood supply. LifeSouth, serving hospitals across four states, has committed to returning half of the donations to Health First to ensure our patients receive the lifesaving resources they need. Watch Spectrum News 13 here to see how our associates and community made a huge difference.

 

On Wednesday, before sunrise, efforts were already underway to convert the auditorium at Health First’s Holmes Regional Medical into a full-service blood donation center. Everyone from the health system’s new CEO, Terry Forde to Health First Medical Group's new President, Dr. Drew Fink, to hundreds of other associates lined up to donate.

In response to a limited supply of community platelets following last week’s OneBlood cyberattack, Health First arranged a partnership with LifeSouth Community Blood Centers to host a blood drive inside the Holmes Regional Medical Center.

LifeSouth, a nonprofit community blood blank serving more than 150 hospitals throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee, stepped in to help offset OneBlood’s disruption in blood supplies and will collect platelets, whole blood, and red cells during the drive.

Within four hours of communications going out to Health First’s 9,500 associates, as well as the Brevard Community at large, all 150 scheduled slots were filled, and still more continued trying to schedule or inquire about walk in opportunities.

“This drive today directly supports Health First, as LifeSouth has committed to delivering half of what it receives back to Health First, while the remaining donations will be used to support the blood community overall,” said Health First spokesman Lance Skelly.

“LifeSouth will supplement the blood products that we are currently receiving from OneBlood, and all scheduled mobile blood drives with OneBlood’s Big Red Bus will continue as planned, including two next week. We will also continue to communicate reminders for upcoming blood donation events to our associates and communities as they are planned.”

WATCH and read coverage of the blood drive on Space Coast Daily HERE.