How Your Blood Donation Will Save a Life

Every unit of blood that is donated is important to helping individuals across our region survive not only emergencies but also receive treatment for numerous illnesses and conditions.

You may not realize how your blood is used after you donate or how it can save lives, from someone severely injured to someone experiencing complications during childbirth.

How Does My Donation Help?

Blood transfusions save the lives of patients every day who arrive at the hospital after becoming severely injured or very ill. However, blood doesn't only save the lives of patients arriving in the emergency room.

A 2019 study found that up to 3% of parents receive blood after giving birth. In many cases, these transfusions are lifesaving.

Other patients who often need blood transfusions include:

• Undergoing surgery
• Being treated for anemia
• Being treated for a blood disorder
• Being treated for cancer

Depending on the patient, the doctor will determine whether or not the patient requires a transfusion and which type of blood they need.

When our region's blood supply gets low, it could mean that patients being treated for cancer can miss their transfusions, surgeries can be delayed or emergency rooms and trauma centers aren't able to treat patients the way they need.

What Happens When I Donate Blood?

If you've never donated blood before, you likely don't know what the experience is like. Whether you're giving at a blood drive or have an appointment, it's a very simple process.

After a few questions about your health, you'll be made comfortable either in a chair or on a bed, and a health worker will begin collecting your blood using a sterile needle and a collection bag.

After you donate, you'll normally be given some refreshments like water or juice and asked to take it easy the rest of the day.

What Happens to My Blood After I Donate?

After you donate blood, a very small portion of your donation is sent to a lab for testing to ensure it is safe to give to those in need.

Your blood is then processed into different components including red cells, platelets and plasma, which is a process needed to use your blood for a transfusion. This involves removing white cells to reduce the chance of the patient having a reaction to a transfusion as well as breaking down plasma into components that will help the blood to clot and reduce the risk of bleeding.

Your blood is then packaged into a standard "unit" and made available to be shipped to health care facilities throughout the region. Oftentimes, hospitals will keep a stock of blood on their campus.

How Do I Donate?

The most convenient way to donate blood is to make an appointment at a donation center or a mobile blood drive.

You can search on Bloodworks Northwest's site for a list of donation centers as well as a mobile blood drive near you.

Additionally, you can also check out the blood drives hosted by the American Red Cross.

Hospitals in our region, including EvergreenHealth, rely on the blood supply from these local donation sites.

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