3 minute read
Collecting Blood in the 21st Century
OVERCOMING DEFICITS AND RE-ENGAGING BUSINESSES
BY EMILY CUNNINGHAM
For many in the Delaware business world, you’ll remember the Blood Bank of Delmarva’s Blood Assurance Plan; you were members of the Blood Bank, ensuring that blood would be available for you or your family members if it was needed.
In 2017, that plan went away—and, with it—so did many of our regular blood donors. We join the rest of the industry across the United States attempting in earnest to solve the ever-complex riddle of how to increase blood collection rates and replace an aging donor base in the modern era of collecting.
Instead of focusing on the reasons blood donations are down, let’s focus on how businesses can be part of the solution. You can:
Host blood drives at your businesses
Encourage employees to donate by giving them time off during the day to visit a center or a mobile
Host an event in one of our centers
Send emails or hang posters
We can help you do these things, and these simple actions will make a difference.
A robust 62% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood. Only 3% percent do. It is apparent that we face a consistent deficit in convincing people to donate blood, no matter how many T-shirts we offer or how we ask. We have tried to illustrate the need for blood by telling the stories of local children—any of which could be our own—who have needed blood. We’ve seen spikes in collections thanks to special events held by the families of these dear children. But we have been unable to maintain such momentum.
When we drill down into population subgroups, the problem is exacerbated. Delaware has an African American population of 22.5%; only 5% of our donors are African American. Hispanics make up 10% of the population, but only 1.8% are blood donors.
During the COVID pandemic, we were unable to have high school and college drives, leading to a 37% reduction in young donors. That is important because if we can teach the younger generation early in life how important donation is, they will likely become lifelong blood donors.
To donate, you need to be 16 or older, be in good general health, and weigh at least 110 pounds. Restrictions surrounding sexual orientation, tattoos, and travel have all recently changed, so please visit www.delmarvablood.org or call 1-888-8BLOOD-8 to find out if you are eligible.
The Blood Bank of Delmarva has been providing the blood and blood products on the Delmarva Peninsula since 1954. We plan to do so for at least another 70 years. We need your help. All we can do is keep asking for help everywhere we go, and that includes you, reading this. Have you donated blood yet? Has it been a while? Please consider saving lives today. We’d love to see you.
Emily Cunningham is the vice president of business development at the Blood Bank of Delmarva.
