January is National Blood Donor Month, and across every city, in every town, we celebrate blood donors and welcome new ones. The 2021 theme is “Band Together. Give Blood.”Blood transfusions are one of the most critical treatments for the 100,000 Americans living with sickle cell disease. It is essential to have a robust supply of compatible red cells ready, and the best supply source has been found to come from those of similar race and ethnic backgrounds. However, only five percent of blood donors are of African ancestry. The time to change this is now. 2020 highlighted the racial disparities in health care and having a continuous supply of compatible red cells is vital to help reduce this disparity.
Help us spread the word in January with resources from the ADRP to encourage your constituents to spread awareness of the need for blood. Blood has an expiration date and needs to be continuously donated to ensure a robust supply is maintained. Ready to donate blood? Click here to find out how to give blood.
Resources:
- Ensuring the Availability of the Nation’s Blood Supply for All | USA Today
- Saving Zainab: The Patient Who Needed a Rare Blood Donor | USA Today
- Why Diversify the Blood Supply | Georgia Health Policy Center
- National Blood Donor Month Video | ADRP
- The Importance of Blood Donations for SCD | American Red Cross
- Give Blood | American Blood Centers