A day of celebration, awareness, and recognition

06/13/2022 

Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives as Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center celebrates World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) Tuesday, June 14, to raise awareness of the need for blood and blood products and to thank donors for their life-saving donation.

We want to recognize and celebrate the generosity of blood donors who save lives in our community – They are true heroes! Without their help, we would not be able to supply the 170 hospitals we serve with blood products for patients in need. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is our community provider, and we serve the largest medical center in the world, Texas Medical Center, where the need for blood is constant.

When our neighbors or loved ones need surgery, give birth, or receive treatment for cancer or a chronic condition such as sickle cell disease, blood must be available. We need about 1,000 blood donations a day to best serve our community. And in recent months, local hospital red blood cell usage has risen by 10% due to an increase in surgery schedules, traumas (mostly violent crimes and motor accidents), and mass transfusions.

Summertime is always challenging for our community, and we typically see a decline in donors due to schools being out, people going on vacation, or otherwise modifying their regular routines. We are asking all eligible donors to commit to donating more frequently to maintain the constant need for blood in our community and to replenish our on-hand supply for any unforeseen emergencies such as hurricanes, which may cause us to shut down collections.

Over the past year, organizations allowing employees to work from home have impacted their ability to host successful blood drives. With more people working remotely and no longer reporting to an office building, these important community events where life-saving blood is collected have been significantly reduced.  

With WBDD, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center would like to make a call to action to our community and remind everyone of the continuous need for blood donors and invite organizations to help by hosting blood drives.

Those who are feeling healthy and well should check giveblood.org for an available appointment. The donation process is quick, easy, and can be done at any Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center location.

Churches, businesses, and community groups can contact the blood center to host a blood drive this summer in their community. Hosting a blood drive is free, and you can impact many lives. Those who are interested can go to giveblood.org/host-a-blood-drive to get started.

World Blood Donor Day was established in 2005 by the WHO and is celebrated worldwide on June 14, on the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, who discovered the blood groups and co-discoverer of the Rh factor. In 2021, the WHO assigned Italy to organize the "World Blood Donor Day Global Event." This year, it will be held in Mexico on 14, 2022.

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is the sole provider of blood and blood components 24/7 to more than 170 hospitals and health care facilities in a 26-county Texas Gulf Coast region. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is a nonprofit organization and is accredited by the Food and Drug Administration.