Written By: Heather Hunter, Synergize, Marketing and Communications Coordinator
In 2020, Synergize, the Carmel-based professional group, raised $35,000 for charity. This year, they’ve decided to donate 200 units of blood to those in need, on top of this year’s philanthropic goal of $60,000.
The Synergize community, which creates relationships that impact the world, is teaming up with Versiti to hold four blood drives. The drives will coincide with four of Synergize’s twelve annual 4:30 Meetup events.
Locals might be familiar with Versiti, a nonprofit spanning the Midwest. Versiti specializes in blood collection and research. The Indiana division partners with the state’s businesses, schools, and churches for blood drives. However, the pandemic has made it difficult for Versiti to collect blood at their usual volume.
“In those first few months, we had 4,000 blood drives cancelled,” said Janice Spickelmier, who leads donor recruitment at Versiti’s Indiana blood center. “The problem was, just because the pandemic hit and everything closed, the need for blood did not stop. We still had cancer patients, sickle-cell patients, who needed it.”
Since blood drives were termed medically necessary, they were allowed to continue throughout the shutdown. The problem was finding places – and people – to host them. Versiti rose to the challenge, pivoting from partnerships to community outreach.
“Here were all these people willing to help, but they were at home,” said Spickelmier, who works closely with Indiana communities. “We went through the internet and found HOA subdivisions. That’s what got us through many, many months – the community letting us pull up a bloodmobile.”
Through the pandemic, Versiti has also been collecting plasma. They ship the plasma, along with some blood donations, to their Blood Research Institute (BRI) in Wisconsin. Staffed by Versiti doctors and scientists, the BRI is an advanced facility at the forefront of blood research. It was one of the first blood centers in the United States to begin processing convalescent plasma treatments for Covid-19 patients.
“They take the plasma from someone who has had Covid, and inject it into someone who is currently fighting it,” explained Spickelmier. “Luckily, we have the technology and diagnostic equipment to do it.”
Even though Versiti didn’t start collecting convalescent plasma until September, she says, donations have skyrocketed. The plasma helps patients develop the antibodies needed to fight the disease.
Despite plenty of plasma donations, Versiti is still short on whole blood: the type donated in a typical blood drive. “One donation can save up to three lives,” explained Spickelmier. “Every day, we have to collect at least 650 units [donations] of blood. If we don’t, it starts to snowball, and going into tomorrow, we’re already behind.”
Right now, Versiti collects roughly 500 units of blood per day. But Spickelmier has hope that community involvement will help end the shortage. “Groups like Synergize are going to be the new wave of the future,” she says. “These community-led drives are going to have to be what sustains us.”
As for Synergize, they plan to collect 200 units of blood from their drives. “If one unit can save three people, then with 200 units, we’ve changed the world for up to 600 families,” says Arron Stanton, founder of Synergize. “That’s the kind of mind-blowing impact that this group makes.”
The first of Synergize’s blood drives is on February 23rd, 2021 from 10:30 – 4:30 pm, in Carmel. The following drives will be held in the same timeframe, on May 25th, September 28th, and December 14th. They encourage not only Synergize members, but the entire community, to be a part of their life-saving impact.
To sign up, use this link: https://donate.indiana.versiti.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/146137
About Versiti
Versiti is a fusion of donors, scientific curiosity, and precision medicine that recognizes that the gifts of blood and life are precious. Their vision is to expand the frontiers of patient health through the integration of science, medicine, and service. To host a Versiti blood drive in your community, fill out their Blood Drive Interest Form or contact Janice Spickelmier (jspickelmier@versiti.org / (317) 432-5928
About Synergize
Synergize’s mission can be summed up in six words: Build Relationships to Make an Impact. With a close-knit community of friends, they’re on a mission to change the world. The only rule? No jerks! They welcome interested non-jerks to visit their website, www.synergizeindy.com, to learn more.