More than 80 prominent organizations from around the country joined
together to kick off Blood Advocacy Week by urging Members of
Congress to take key actions to support the blood supply as a
national priority. The joint letter to Congress is
available here. Blood Advocacy Week is an annual initiative
spearheaded by America’s Blood Centers that unites stakeholders to
advocate for policies that highlight the importance of blood for
patients, communities, and the healthcare system.
“More than 80 organizations are coming together during Blood
Advocacy Week 2024 to urge action in support of the nation’s blood
supply. We write to urge your support in making our blood supply a
national priority and ensuring that blood is always available for
those in need. It is crucial to take key actions to strengthen and
diversify America’s donor base,” wrote the organizations.
The letter urges Congress to provide federal funding for
community blood centers to strengthen education and awareness
efforts about blood donation, establish a program to expand
pre-hospital blood transfusion, and create a demonstration program
for palliative blood transfusions outside of hospice care.
Blood transfusion remains one of the most common hospital
procedures, with patients requiring a blood transfusion every two
seconds. More than 42,000 units of red blood cells, platelets, and
plasma are used by patients every day. These blood transfusions are
needed to treat patients with acute care needs such as trauma and
blood loss during childbirth, as well as for disease management for
patients with a variety of health conditions, including cancer,
inherited blood disorders, cardiovascular and orthopedic surgeries,
and organ and bone marrow transplants.
Partners taking part in Blood Advocacy Week include the American
Society of Hematology, American Society for Clinical Pathology,
Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, Centerlink, Cerus,
Civil Air Patrol, the Crescent Foundation, Elks, Georgia Health
Policy Center, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, HOSA Future Health
Professionals, Johnson and Johnson, LifeFactors, Macopharma,
National Bleeding Disorders Foundation, North Arundel County
Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated,
Operation Pulse Lift, Sickle Cell Foundation of Minnesota, Sick
Cells, Thalassemia International Federation, Terumo, the Thrive
with Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency Organization, University Blood
Initiative, and Whitman-Walker Health.
These organizations are joined by community blood centers and
blood organizations across the country, including ADRP: The
Association for Blood Donor Professionals, Alliance for Community
Transfusion Services (ACTS), Blood Assurance, Blood Bank of Alaska,
Blood Bank of Delmarva, Blood Bank of Hawaii, Blood Centers of
America, Bloodworks Northwest, Carter BloodCare, Central California
Blood Center, Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank, Children's Hospital
Los Angeles, Coastal Bend Blood Center, Community Blood Bank of
Northwest Pennsylvania & Western New York, Community Blood
Center, Community Blood Center (Appleton), Community Blood Center
of the Ozarks, Connecticut Blood Center, ConnectLife, Gulf Coast
Regional Blood Center, Houchin Community Blood Bank, Hoxworth Blood
Center, ImpactLife, Inova Blood Donor Services, Kentucky Blood
Center, LIFELINE Blood Services, LifeServe Blood Center, LifeShare
Blood Center, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, LifeStream, MEDIC
Regional Blood Center, Memorial Blood Centers, Miller-Keystone
Blood Center, Mississippi Blood Services, National Blood Testing
Cooperative, Nebraska Community Blood Bank, New Jersey Blood
Services, New York Blood Center, Northern California Community
Blood Bank, OneBlood, Our Blood Institute, Rhode Island Blood
Center, Rock River Valley Blood Center, San Diego Blood Bank,
Shepeard Community Blood Center, Solvita, South Texas Blood &
Tissue, Stanford Blood Center, SunCoast Blood Centers, Texoma
Regional Blood Center, The Blood Center (New Orleans), The Blood
Connection, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, UCI
Health Blood Donor Center, Versiti, Vitalant, We Are Blood, and
Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center.
Founded in 1962, America’s Blood Centers is the
national organization bringing together community-based,
independent blood centers. Its member organizations operate more
than 600 blood collection sites providing close to 60 percent of
the U.S., and a quarter of the Canadian, blood supply. These blood
centers serve more than 150 million people and provide blood
products and services to more than 3,500 hospitals and healthcare
facilities across North America. All ABC U.S. members are licensed
and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more
information, visit www.AmericasBlood.org.
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Jeff Gohringer
America’s Blood Centers
(202) 654-2901
jgohringer@americasblood.org