National Blood Donor Month Highlights Need For Blood Donation Throughout The Year
Community is asked to donate blood after the holidays
San Diego Blood Bank, the regional blood bank serving Southern California, is celebrating National Blood Donor Month throughout the month of January by honoring blood donors who regularly roll up their sleeves and help save lives and inviting those who have never donated before to donate.
National Blood Donor Month has been observed in January since 1970 with the goal of increasing blood and platelet donations during winter – one of the most difficult times of year to collect enough blood products to meet patient needs. Right now, there is a need for all blood types.
In celebration of National Blood Donor Month, blood donors who donate at any San Diego Blood Bank donor center or mobile blood drive will be gifted with a limited-edition Winnie-the-Pooh t-shirt (while supplies last).
Every two seconds in America, someone needs blood, and one in seven patients entering a hospital require blood transfusions. This ranges from trauma victims to patients battling sickle cell disease or Thalassemia or to ensure a successful organ or bone marrow transplant. Cancer patients use 25 percent of all blood donations and blood transfusions are needed in one out of every 83 newborn deliveries in America today. One blood donation could save up to three lives.
“Blood is unique in our healthcare system,” said Doug Morton, San Diego Blood Bank CEO. “There is no substitute, and it cannot be synthetically made so volunteer blood donations are the only way to provide blood to hospital patients in need.”
More information about National Blood Donor Month can be found at SanDiegoBloodBank.org/nbdm.
To be eligible to donate blood you must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in general good health.
Appointments are encouraged and available by visiting sandiegobloodbank.org or by calling (619) 400-8251. Walk-ins are welcome.
About San Diego Blood Bank
San Diego Blood Bank (SDBB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization also operating as Southern California Blood Bank. The Blood Bank serves hospitals throughout Southern California with more than 150,000 units of blood each year. San Diego Blood Bank’s mission is to connect diverse communities to save and improve lives through blood and biotherapies. Dedicated to advancing health and wellness through medical innovation, SDBB has provided an essential service since 1950. San Diego Blood Bank currently operates nine fixed-site donation locations and 10 bloodmobiles, with blood drives running daily. For more information about SDBB, visit www.SanDiegoBloodBank.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linkedin.
