Blood Drive Pop Up at Our Lady of Fatima

– There is an urgent need for blood donations heading into Labor Day
weekend. Bloodworks Northwest reports the local blood supply is running on fumes, as donations are
down and patient needs for Type O blood and platelets are at their highest. All eligible donors are urged
to make an appointment to donate in the days and weeks ahead.
“We’re operating on less than a single day supply of O Positive and O Negative blood – the types most
needed in trauma situations,” said Dr. Kirsten Alcorn, Co-Chief Medical Officer of Bloodworks
Northwest. “Hospitals are already having to conserve onsite supplies and we’re concerned the upcoming
Labor Day weekend will further impact our ability to provide urgently-needed blood for emergencies at
a time when trauma units around our region typically experience high patient usage. It’s vital the public
prioritize donating blood to keep our community safe.”
It takes 1,000 donors a day of all blood types to maintain a safe and reliable blood supply for unexpected
emergencies and continued medical care in our region. Only 40% of the donors needed have booked
appointments, leaving a gap of 3,600 open appointments between now and Labor Day. Donating blood
takes about an hour from check-in to post-donation cookie, and it is an hour well spent. Each donation is
roughly one pint of blood and people needing transfusions often need multiple pints of blood. Those
wishing to donate can encourage a friend to book an appointment with them, doubling the number of
lives potentially saved.