Tony Thurmond: “we are currently facing one of the worst blood shortages in history, and I implore the citizens of this fine nation to…”

“we are currently facing one of the worst blood shortages in history, and I implore the citizens of this fine nation to volunteer to be a blood donor. Across the country hospitals are having to postpone life saving operations because of the lack of blood. Just the other day, the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston had to postpone a liver transplant because it lacked the necessary blood supply to perform the surgery. This is simply not acceptable. At this moment, the nation's blood supply is in critically short supply. We could not practice modern medicine without blood. Right now, the medical care of patients is being altered, postponed or canceled because the blood they need is not available. This silent savior in many medical emergencies is in short supply. Blood is a critical link in the chain of health care nationwide.”