Rotary Club of La Conner welcomed Madison Kerr from Bloodworks Northwest at our meeting Monday, April 12. She has been with the Bloodworks for three years.
1/3 of all blood is used for adults and children with cancer and other bleeding disorders. 34% of all platelets are used by hematology/oncology patients. In most cases, local donations support local needs. Madison also shared that people who experience trauma - such as from stabbings, car accidents, postpartum hemorrhaging - need blood, often much more than an individual could donate in a year.
Bloodworks accepts appointments for donations and with Covid precautions, there is much you can do in advance to limit the time spent completing the donation. The organization needs 1000 donor every day to maintain a stable blood supply. But, did you know that only 10% of eligible donors give blood on a regular basis? Couple that with the fact that the number of days our blood supply is at an emergency level has increased exponentially over the last five years, and it's really important to schedule your appointment. Our current supply is below emergency operation levels, meaning we have less than a 24 hour supply. They are especially in need of O- and A+.
To find a donation location near you, check out this website to schedule an appointment, and tell them Rotary sent you!
