BY COREY VAUGHN

THE DAILY IBERIAN

New Iberia residents had a chance to donate blood after the Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center’s Blood Donor Center rolled into The Daily Iberian parking lot Monday afternoon. 

The bus was stationed in the parking lot on Lewis Street from noon to 3 p.m. with a handful of local residents taking the opportunity to donate blood for those that may need it in the future. 

Aysha Kaplan, who works as a donor recruiter for the hospital, said the bus is stationed outside of a different Acadiana business daily, including usually once a week every month in New Iberia. 

“We’re mostly at smaller businesses,” Kaplan said. “We’ll see an average of 10 to 15 donors for a business that has the size of 30 employees.”

Kaplan said that two buses saw overwhelming donations Sunday in Franklin, where more than 100 people donated their blood. 

Kaplan said the hospital is part of a network of hospitals in the state that use the donated blood as needed. Uses for donated blood can range from trauma incidents to car crashes and even for women giving birth. 

“It does stay in Louisiana. It may not directly go to your neighbor in Lafayette or New Iberia, but it will go to someone in Louisiana,” Kaplan said. 

One of those giving blood Monday after noon was Raymond Partsch III, managing editor of The Daily Iberian, who said donating blood was just a natural way to help out. 

“I have been donating blood on and off for a handful of years now,” Partsch said.

“For me, it is just my way to doing my part to help out. I have O positive blood, which is the most common blood type, so there is always a need. It is the least I could do. Plus, they give you a snack so why wouldn’t you give blood?”

A typical blood donation in the bus takes about 20 minutes, including a 10-minute screening, Kaplan said.