FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Summer Emphasis Initiatives

JUNE 20, 2006, SEATTLE WA — Puget Sound Blood Center is launching several programs to keep volunteer blood donation strong through the summer season.
 
Often during the summer people will hear of national blood shortages and urgent pleas to come in and donate.  Puget Sound Blood Center benefits from a very strong base of support.  Our Volunteer Donors continually stepping up to the plate, year round.  Because of their dedicated support, the Blood Center hasn’t sent an urgent plea for help in the Puget Sound in years. 

But the need for blood is constant   Especially true in summer, people are more active.  Unfortunately some people will get hurt pursuing their summer activities, with some of those getting hurt urgently needing blood.

The Blood Center has developed several programs to maintain our connection with volunteer donors, focusing on new donors and existing donors who haven’t donated in a while. 

To encourage new donors we are asking our volunteer donors to bring a friend, possibly someone who hasn’t donated before.  This serves two purposes for the donor:  It is reassuring to have a friend and it can help the hour or so it takes to donate pass more quickly. 

Many people have given blood over time but haven't gotten around to coming back.  So we're asking existing donors who haven’t given in a while to consider coming in.  

Another program we are working on is encouraging our existing donors to make their next appointment while they are in making a donation.  Making your appointment in advance helps the community by getting committed donors set up in advance for their next appointment.  We send them an e-mail reminder the week before their appointment and reminder call the day before.  We are trying to make it as simple as setting up your next appointment at your dentist.

Some Facts to Keep In Mind

• To maintain a stable blood supply in community (most of Western Washington) we need about 900 people to show up at a mobile drive or one of our nine donor centers every workday. 
             
  Because blood can be broken down into its three components, each donation, about a pint, can potentially save three lives.
• The blood donated by our volunteer donors is used in about 70 hospitals and medical facilities in Western Washington and is used by trauma victims, patients who have leukemia and other blood cancers, open heart surgeries and other procedures.
• The Blood Center also conducts research, working to save lives and improve the lives of patients living with blood disorders.  Our research has lead to longer storage for blood platelets and enabled medical advances such as bone marrow transplants and open heart surgeries to occur. 

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