Miami hospital sets up blood drive day after OneBlood ransomware attack
MIAMI — A South Florida hospital put together a blood drive a day after OneBlood became the latest victim of a ransomware attack.
"People should donate because one pint of blood saves three lives," said Reanna Clabon a clinical research coordinator at the University of Miami Health System.
On Thursday, UHealth took matters into its own hands.
It is one of the 350 hospitals in the Southeast U.S. that partners with the blood donation nonprofit OneBlood, which is operating at reduced capacity after the ransomware attack.
UHealth teamed up with another organization and put out a call for people to donate.
"Our lab has cancer patients," Clabon said. "Cancer patients have blood draws for everything."
"Go through things all the time and so understanding that there is one a shortage and two people within our own lab and our own studies could be needing the blood is why I didn't mind stopping by here after getting a treat at the market.," she added.
Uhealth said donating is important and necessary, but they especially need people with Type O blood and platelets to sit in the chair.
Taylor Peabody, who works at UHealth, said that is why she showed up.
"There are a lot of patients every day that are needing blood and so a shortage like this is serious. We see the consequences of it," she said. "Fortunately there are a lot of people who work here who are available to donate."
UHealth employees aren't the only ones showing up as Myrna Vaca, the executive director of the Marlins Foundation, also donated.
"It's an immediate call to action," she said. "I think about the patients that are in the hospital. The emergency response teams. The police officers. I'm thinking about how could we help. How can we serve those most at need."