Written by: Christine Wan | Edited by: Zainab Bhatti and Nicole Xu

Importance of Blood Donations

Annually, roughly 6.8 million people in the United States donate blood and 4.5 million patients will require a blood transfusion. Because blood cannot be synthetically produced in laboratories, there are no synthetic substitutes. As a result, certain patients are dependent on blood donations for their survival. For instance, cancer patients are in constant need of blood due to many reasons including: blood loss during surgery, low blood cell count due to the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, or anemia. Cancers of the blood and bone marrow, such as leukemia and lymphoma, are another reason transfusions are required because the disease does not allow the body to produce normal blood-making cells (Rodriguez). Other patients who require blood transfusions include: women who experience ectopic pregnancies, women who hemorrhage at any stage of childbirth, children with severe anemia often resulting from malaria or malnutrition, people with severe trauma due to man-made and natural disasters, and patients with thalassemia, hemophilia, and sickle cell disease (WHO).

Today, most medical care centers and hospitals are dependent on a steady supply of blood from donors since one in seven people entering the hospital need blood. For centers treating cancer patients, this steady blood supply is especially important because as cancer care increases, the demand for blood and platelet donations increases as well. An adequate amount of blood is needed in all health care facilities for patients facing trauma and other lifesaving procedures. As such, blood transfusions and donations are able to aid in saving millions of lives each year (Rodriguez). Additionally, there is a constant need for a regular blood supply because it can only be stored for a limited time before use. Regular blood donations by a sufficient number of healthy people are needed consistently to ensure that safe blood will always be available when needed to best treat patients and offer them the best chances at recovery (WHO).

Moreover, there are several types of blood donations and one donor can help up to three patients. A single unit of blood can be separated into different components: red blood cells, plasma, and platelets. “Whole blood” is the most common and most flexible blood donation. It is usually collected in one pint and separated into different components in order used to help multiple patients. Plasma is collected through apheresis- a process that separates plasma from other blood components. It has blood clotting factors needed to help trauma patients and those battling certain diseases like cancer. Platelets are also collected through the apheresis process. Once platelets have been selected from the donor’s blood, the red blood cells and other fluids are returned to the donor. Cancer patients are the primary recipients of platelets as they play an important role in cancer treatment. “Double red cell” donation is the collection of only red cells through the apheresis process. It allows donors to give double the amount of a “whole blood” donation and can be used for anyone suffering from blood loss (Rodriguez).

Overall, blood donations and a steady supply of blood are requisite to the survival of so many patients. Donating blood even once can be utilized to aid in the recovery of several patients.

Bibliography

Rodriguez, Jonesa. “The Importance of Blood Donations.” Moffitt Cancer Center, 13 May 2020, moffitt.org/endeavor/archive/the-importance-of-blood-donations/.

WHO (World Health Organization). “Blood Products: Why Should I Donate Blood?” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 13 June 2017, www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/blood-products-why-should-i-donate-blood.