Every Thursday afternoon, Frank settles into his favorite chair to watch the next movie on his watch list. But first, the friendly staff at the Red Cross Southwest Washington Blood Donation Center in Vancouver connect Frank’s veins to the apheresis machines separating his red blood cells and plasma from his platelets. The blood is then returned to him in his opposite arm. The whole process takes about two and half hours, the same length as the movie he had planned to watch anyway, but the service he is giving provides lifesaving blood components to cancer patients and others with life threatening diseases and injuries.

Platelets, plasma, power red and whole blood are different types of donations used for different types of patient needs. The platelets are crucial for cancer patients going through chemotherapy, while plasma is used to treat burn victims and those with liver disease. Whole red and power red are the most common types of donations and are used for all kinds of patients. Often a single donation can save more than one life.

Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood, but only about 3% of eligible Americans donate. Consequently, the blood supply at hospitals is something the staff constantly worry about. Red Cross Southwest Washington, officially called the Cascades Region of the American Red Cross, supplies between 62 and 70 hospitals with blood. “But blood is shared because sometimes some areas are low and others are high,” explains David Hunt, team supervisor with the Red Cross Southwest Washington. “We want to make sure that anyone, anywhere, anytime gets the blood they need.”  

Whole blood cannot be frozen and is good for only 45 days. “Very rarely do we keep blood past three days because it is used so quickly. We are always right on the edge of disaster,” shares Hunt.

He says that during the COVID lockdowns, the supply was more stable because there were fewer surgeries and accidents, and more people came out to donate since they were at home. But lately there has been a drop-off in blood drives filling up. “We had to go on a national critical appeal for the first time in two years because we are not able to fulfill requests by hospitals,” says Hunt. The crisis appeal has included large email and social media campaigns as well as going on the news to encourage people to donate.

Finding new donors and making the experience as convenient as possible is the heart of Hunt’s job. At the Red Cross Southwest Washington center near Vancouver Mall where Frank donates, volunteers and staff are ready with a large TV, blanket and headphones to make his experience as comfortable as possible—and they supply his movie snacks. Often donors receive free T-shirts or Amazon gift cards too.

While Frank’s platelets donation takes upwards of two hours, a regular whole blood donation only takes about an hour, from start to finish, with the actual blood donation part of the visit taking only 30 minutes. The Red Cross Southwest Washington blood mobile van visits multiple locations in Clark County for a fast way to donate close to home, and blood drives hosted by other organizations help to bring in a larger number of donors.

Many eligible potential donors may like to help but have a fear of needles or other concerns.

Hunt reassures that, “Our team goes through in-house training to learn how to do a stick for a donation. It is much different than going to the doctor and having tests done. It is also the only thing they do all day, every day, so they are very good at it. Almost everyone has a fear of needles or doesn’t like to get stuck.

“I would say to remember two things. First, the stick is only half of a second of the entire process. It is quick and easy. And second, try to remember the person on the opposite side that is receiving the blood. They are not only afraid of the needle, but fearful of what is happening to them and their life. They would probably give anything to be in a situation to be able to donate and not receive.”

The Red Cross blood donor app is the easiest way to find a date and time that works for you to donate, but Hunt encourages walk-ins as well. “Our goal is to never turn away a donor . . .  And if you don’t have a drive in your area, contact me and we can build one together.”

Hunt explains why these community-led drives are often the best way to get new donors out. “When a business or a group hosts a drive, the donors are making a commitment to that group or business when they sign up to donate. Social media is easy to scroll past, emails are easy to delete. What we call our ‘show rate’ [is] the people that sign up [and] show up. It goes way up when a business or a group is hosting and asking.”

Fitting one more thing into our busy lives can seem impossible, but without volunteer donors, lives would be lost. “Of all of the ways we are asked to give back today and of all the things we can do,” says Hunt, “I believe blood is one of the best ways to give back. It is free, it is easy and it has direct and immediate impact on people’s lives.”

READ THE FULL December 2023 ISSUE BELOW.

Go here to schedule a blood donation with Red Cross Southwest Washington.

Benefits of specific types of blood donations:

Cancer Patients

Ideal Donation Type

Platelets donation, because certain cancers and cancer treatments prevent patients from producing their own.

Ideal Blood Type

A positive, A negative, B positive, O positive, AB positive and AB negative

Trauma Patients

Ideal Donation Type

Power Red, because red cells carry oxygen throughout the body and are frequently given to trauma and surgery patients. 

AB Elite plasma donation, because AB plasma is needed to help stop bleeding.

Ideal Blood Type

• For Power Red: O positive, O negative, B negative, A negative
• For AB Elite: AB positive, AB negative

Sickle Cell Patients

Ideal Donation Type

Whole blood or Power Red, especially from blood donors who are of African descent. Patients with sickle cell disease, who are predominantly Black, can require multiple blood transfusions every year. Donated blood must be very closely matched to the donor’s blood type to avoid transfusion-related complications. Since most patients with sickle cell disease are Black or African American, the most compatible blood type match is most often from a donor of the same race or ethnicity.

Ideal Blood Type

Type O, especially from blood donors who are Black.

Burn Patients

Ideal Donation Type: AB Elite, because plasma helps maintain blood pressure and other vital functions.

Ideal Blood Type: AB positive, AB negative. Type AB, the universal plasma donor’s blood can be given to any patient needing plasma. Make an even greater impact for patients in need by giving an AB Elite plasma donation.

Go here to learn about more ways to make a difference in Clark County.