Then President Richard Nixon first proclaimed January 1970 as National Blood Donor Month, and the tradition has endured. It’s an opportunity to thank volunteer blood donors and encourage more people to donate blood for the first time.
The Community Blood Center of Appleton which serves our area shares the following statistics:
- Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs a blood transfusion
- 65% of Americans are eligible to give blood, but only 3% actually donate
- That 3% equates to nearly 7 million people who give blood every year
- Donations from adults age 19-24 have declined nearly 32% from 2019 to 2021
A large blood supply is needed for more than unexpected emergencies like car crashes and natural disasters. Blood transfusions are also regularly needed to treat patients during and following surgery and for medical treatments such as cancer therapies, cardiovascular and orthopedic surgeries, and organ and bone marrow transplants.
Help spread awareness about the need to increase blood donations and to diversify the community of blood donors.
The Community Blood Center’s mission is to connect lives and share life through blood donations in local communities, and they thank all those who regularly donate blood. Your decision to give generously today helps save lives and gives more people their tomorrow.
P.S. Watch next week’s newspaper for an article about a great opportunity to donate blood here in Merrill, at the Giving Blood for Brandtly Blood Drive on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the Merrill Fire Station. Mark your calendar and plan to donate.