Latest news with #bloodsupply
The Independent
09-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Can I donate blood and how do I do it? Urgent call for donors amid low stocks
The NHS needs 200,000 more regular blood donors to sustain a safe and sufficient supply. Low blood stocks in 2024 prompted an "amber alert', but blood stocks have remained low ever since. NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) is now urging more people to donate to avoid a "red alert", which is a critical situation where public safety is threatened. It described the past year as "challenging" for blood stocks, noting that just under 800,000 people are supporting the entire blood supply in England. How do I donate blood? The whole process of giving blood takes just one hour. When arriving at a blood donation centre, you are asked to complete a safety check to make sure you can give blood. You will be given 500ml of fluid to drink – drinking this will help the body maintain blood pressure, prevent dizziness and help the body replenish the donated blood. Then, to ensure it is safe to donate blood, medics will confirm your identity and information in your health check. In some cases, a registered nurse will follow up. A drop of blood from your finger is then checked for iron levels. If these levels are too low, the appointment will be rescheduled. Those able to donate will be seated in the waiting area before being called to a donation chair. Here, a cuff will be placed on your arm to maintain a small amount of pressure during the donation before a suitable vein is found and the area is cleaned. Then, a needle will be inserted into your arm to collect your blood into a blood bag, which has your unique donor number on it. A scale weighs the blood and stops when you have donated 470ml - that's just under a pint. The needle is then removed from your arm, and a dressing is applied. The NHS says the process of giving blood should not hurt and should only take about 10 minutes. Who can donate blood? Although more donors are needed, there are some health, travel and lifestyle reasons that may stop you from donating blood. Donors need to be fit and well, aged between 17 and 65, weigh between 7 stone 12 Ibs (50kg) and 25 stone (158kg) and have suitable veins. However, you can't donate blood if you have cancer, some heart conditions, have tested positive for HIV or are a hepatitis B or C carrier. If you have received blood platelets, plasma or any other blood products after January 1980, or if you have injected non-prescribed drugs including body-building and injectable tanning agents, you also cannot donate. If you've had anal sex with a new partner in the last three months you may have to postpone your donation. If you feel unwell, are pregnant or have had a baby in the last six months, have had a tattoo or piercing, or have recently travelled to certain countries outside the UK, you may also have to wait before you can donate blood. Where can I donate blood? There are thousands of blood donation venues across England, some are permanent and others are pop-ups. Church halls, sports centres, mosques, football stadiums and hotels are all used as pop-up venues. To check where your closest one is, visit the Give Blood website. What type of blood is needed? There is a 'critical' need for more donors who have the so-called universal blood type, O negative blood, which is needed for treatment in emergencies. The NHS said there is also a need for more Black donors, who are more likely to have specific blood types which can help treat people with sickle cell disease.
Associated Press
03-06-2025
- General
- Associated Press
High school donors and blood drives make lifesaving impact on blood supply
Davenport, Iowa, June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ImpactLife is recognizing the contributions of 536 high school students who earned the blood center's Student Impact Award during the 2024-25 school year. The award is given to students who give blood, recruit donors, and/or organize blood drives while in high school. To receive the Student Impact Award, recipients must earn six credits in any of the following categories before high school graduation: 'Across our region, ImpactLife is fortunate to work with students who want to develop their leadership skills while supporting health and wellness in their community,' said Lindsay Erhardt-Hansen, Manager, Donor Relations. 'We appreciate our Student Impact Award recipients for their commitment to supporting the blood supply, and we look forward to seeing the positive difference they'll make long into the future.' Student Impact Award recipients receive an award certificate and a red cord that signifies the connection between the blood donor, ImpactLife, and patients who have been helped by the student's support of our region's blood supply. With permission from their school, students may choose to wear the red cord in their high school graduation ceremony. (For more information on the Student Impact Award, see School-based blood drives are a significant source of support for our region's blood supply. ImpactLife will hold 515 blood drives with high schools held during the 2024-25 school year, leading to more than 10,000 donations by donors 16 to 19 years of age, many as first-time blood donors. ImpactLife offers its LifeSavings Grant to recognize schools for their substantial contribution to our region's blood supply. Primary and secondary schools that host blood drives qualify for the grant program by sponsoring blood drives that collect at least 20 donations. LifeSavings Grants can be used to fund scholarships, make a charitable donation, provide for classroom or curriculum needs, or help defray expenses related to the blood drive. Following each blood drive, schools can apply to receive a grant of $250, plus one dollar for each donation. While LifeSavings Grant applications are still being submitted for the 2024-25 school year, the blood center has processed 451 successful grant applications year-to-date, with $127,672 in grants awarded. (More information at With 2024-25 education sector blood drives coming to an end, ImpactLife has reached a challenging time of year when the donor recruitment team looks to increase appointment schedules at Donor Centers and community blood drives to make up for donations the blood center won't collect at schools during summer break. To find an ImpactLife Donor Center location or mobile blood drive, call (800) 747-5401, text 'lifesaver' to 999-777, or schedule online at or via the ImpactLife mobile app ( ). Donors Enjoy Perks and Benefits: Through ImpactLife's Donor For Life program, donors receive their choice of an electronic gift card, bonus points for the Rewards Store OR a charitable donation to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit of the donor's choice via the blood center's Good Giving program. To help improve schedules at ImpactLife donor center locations, ImpactLife is offering $20 in bonus value (or 1000 bonus points) for donations made at ImpactLife Donor Centers through June 8. Rewards grow in value with each donation in a calendar year. See the table at for complete information. About ImpactLife ImpactLife's mission is to save lives by engaging donors, supporting partners, and advancing medicine. Founded in 1974, ImpactLife supplies blood products and services to hundreds of hospitals, emergency services organizations, clinical researchers, and other blood centers throughout Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri. The nonprofit blood provider is ranked among the leading 12 blood suppliers in the United States. For more information on current blood inventory levels, our donor promotions, and more, see and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Attachments Kirby Winn ImpactLife (563) 349-1571 [email protected]
Arab News
30-05-2025
- General
- Arab News
KSrelief to operate Somalia's National Blood Bank
RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has signed an agreement with the International Wars and Disasters Victims' Protection Association to implement the second phase of the National Blood Bank project in Mogadishu, Somalia. The agreement for the project, expected to benefit over 10,000 people, was signed in Riyadh by Ahmed bin Ali Al-Baiz, the center's assistant supervisor general for operations and programs. Dr. Abdullah Al-Moallem, director of KSrelief's health and environmental aid department, said: 'The National Blood Bank in Mogadishu will operate under this agreement to help reduce mortality rates and limit the spread of bloodborne infectious and epidemic diseases. This will be achieved through the provision of a safe and secure blood supply for transfusions and medical treatments. The project will also support early detection of blood-related and other illnesses, strengthening the overall healthcare system.'
Irish Times
21-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
‘Concern' at Irish Blood Transfusion Service over supply in several groups
An additional 2,000 blood donations are required over the coming weeks as some blood groups have fallen to three days' supply 'causing concern', the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) has said. Although the IBTS aims to have seven days' worth of stock at all times, current supply levels have fallen to three days for some blood groups such as O negative and B negative. While the service is seeking donations across all blood groups to meet 'consistently high demand,' it noted that O positive, the most common blood group in Ireland, is at just over 2½ days' supply. Director of donor services and logistics Paul McKinney said the low supply of O positive in particular, which is typically the easiest to collect due to a large pool of donors, is a 'real concern' and 'very unusual'. READ MORE Hospital demand for blood has remained high since the Easter bank holiday, while the extended period of warm weather and the start of the summer holiday period have affected clinic attendances and donor availability, said Mr McKinney. Last week, the IBTS issued a 'pre-amber alert' to all hospitals, restricting issues and asking for a reduction in their stock holding, which allows the service to manage the limited supply available more effectively, he said. 'If we were to go to amber, which we never have done, we would send an instruction asking them to review their operations and to consider not going ahead with elective operations,' he said. The IBTS, which requires more than 3,000 units of blood each week to maintain the national supply, is seeking regular donors to attend their nearest clinic, particularly in Dublin and Cork where there is increased clinic availability. New donors, who can check their eligibility on , are 'especially welcome,' particularly those of African heritage who could help diversify the donor base, said Mr McKinney.
