“We have a problem and we need to deal with it,” said Andrew Trueblood.

The problem Trueblood is talking about is donatating blood.

“The blood supply is really low,” he said.

Trueblood said the blood supply is down to a 6-hour supply, which he explained is extremely low.

Trueblood, 50, a Coles County resident his entire life, works as Charleston’s American Red Cross blood drive coordinator.

Trueblood explained why he thinks the blood supply is so low right now.

“Just think about it,” he said. “People are more active in the summer, as they are going out more and are more active. The donation of blood goes down because of this.”

He explained that is is a circular effect and that because more people are out and active, they are more likely to be hurt and may be needing the use of blood donation.

Trueblood has more than just one interest in the American Red Cross and donating blood, he has an personal reason for the dedication he gives to the Red Cross.

Trueblood was in a serious motorcycle accident on September 11, 2002.

“If it wouldn’t have been for a blood donation, I wouldn’t here today,” Trueblood said. “I was really broken up.”

After the accident, Trueblood was in a coma for 6 weeks.

After he awoke from his coma, he spent several months within Sarah Lincoln Bush Medical Center in intensive care.

At first, Trueblood said he was told he may not be able to walk again but after a year of medical rehab, he was able to start walking again.

Trueblood explained that this near-death experience changed his life and motivated him to become involved in the blood donatating process.

Once healthy again, Trueblood began to become involved by donating his own blood. He found out that his blood was unique.

“My blood type is O negative, but it is pure,” Trueblood said.

He explained what he meant by pure as describing that most people with O negative type blood usually catch a virus that negates the “pureness” of their blood.

This virus is common and Trueblood said he was told by the Red Cross that he could catch the virus at anytime and he would no longer have the pure blood.

Catching this virus would not stop a person from being able to donate blood, however.

The unique part of having the pure blood though is that Trueblood and others with the same blood can donate in unique cases, like in the cases of a newborn baby in need of blood.

The American Red Cross wilL hold the blood drive on Friday from 2-5 p.m. at the Charleston Christian Church that is located across from Wal-Mart, east of Adams Funeral Home.

All donators will receive free Cardinals T-shirts, Papa John pizza,and home baked cookies.Trueblood urged for people to come donate blood.

He said he came up with a new phrase the past couple of days that he thinks fits the blood-donating campaign:

“Saving lives can become addictive,” he said.