Former Macon news anchor now on a mission to save lives. What she’s doing
Suzanne Lawler spent three decades bringing the people of Central Georgia local news and information - now her goal is to save lives with the American Red Cross.
Lawler left 13WMAZ last month to expand her family and begin a new chapter in her career with the nonprofit as a communications manager.
She shared the news in a Facebook post.
In her new role, Lawler said she hopes to bring greater awareness to why donating blood is so crucial - especially in the Middle Georgia area. She will be working on stories to let people know how their blood is processed, where it goes and how it saves lives.
She said she will also deploy on disaster missions to hopefully be of continued service to people her team meets and be of assistance in their time of need.
As the summer months approach, Lawler said the need for blood increases substantially. Historically, donations go down during the summer.
“The kids are out of school, graduation ceremonies happen, and families get on the road,” she said. “Blood donation typically takes a back seat, but hospital patients don’t get a vacation from needing life saving transfusions.”
The American Red Cross is in a unique position with a big responsibility to meet the demand for blood. The organization ensures through volunteers and donors that blood is available for patients in the hospital whenever and wherever it is needed, according to Lawler.
“The need for blood is more than people realize,” she said. “A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 units of blood - this is why the Red Cross urges donors to give during Trauma Awareness Month in May,” she said.
Type O blood is the most needed blood group by hospitals, but it’s often in short supply. Type O-positive is the most transfused blood type and can be transfused to Rh-positive patients of any blood type. Type O-negative is the universal blood type and what emergency room personnel reach for when there is no time to determine the blood type of patients in the most serious situations, according to Lawler.
Black and Hispanic populations have a higher percentage of people with Type O blood, studies show. Lawler said. Lawler said the Red Cross is looking for diverse donors because having the blood types that are in highest demand can help patients who have sickle cell, many of whom are children.
She went on to explain that blood type, like eye color, is an inherited trait passed genetically from parents. The vast majority of blood types fall into one of the major A, B or O groups, but for some patients with rare blood types, blood must be matched closely, beyond the primary A, B, O and AB blood types. Blood given to patients with rare blood types must be matched very closely to reduce the risk of developing complications from transfusion therapy.
“The Red Cross is committed to maintaining a diverse blood supply to ensure the right blood product is available at the right time, and every blood and platelet donor has an important role in meeting that need,” she said. “We encourage eligible donors of all races and ethnicities to give blood or platelets to increase the diversity of the blood supply.”
Lawler said in the State of Georgia the American Red Cross needs to collect at least 600 pints a day to keep up with the need. She said in fiscal year 2023 the organization had more than 8,000 blood drives across the state and collected nearly 175,000 units of blood and blood products.
The American Red Cross of Georgia serves 10 million people through a network of 8 chapters including Central Midwest Georgia, East Central Georgia, Greater Atlanta, Northeast Georgia, Northwest Georgia, South Central Georgia, Southeast Georgia, and Southwest Georgia, according to its website.
“Every single donation can help keep the blood supply as stable as possible during a busy time of year when many regular donors may be unable to give,” Lawler said. “No one can predict when an accident might happen, but generous donors can help hospitals stay prepared and stocked with blood products - plus giving blood in and of itself only takes about ten minutes of a donor’s time.”