Blood donors are everyday heroes

Earlier this year, a 77-year-old grandfather was celebrated for his 550th blood platelet donation. Ralph “Rocco” Russo was inspired to begin donating when his best friend's then-14-year-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer in 1996.

And he just kept giving.

We could use more everyday heroes like Rocco. Although the country seems to have weathered the severe blood shortage seen in January of this year, when the Red Cross declared a national crisis, hospitals can’t have enough blood. A single trauma patient can require 20 units of blood — or more.

Regular blood donation by a sufficient number of healthy people is needed to ensure that blood will always be available whenever and wherever it is needed. With World Blood Donor Day celebrating its 20th anniversary on June 14, it’s a good time to thank donors and encourage new donors.

Who can give blood?

Even though roughly 7 million Americans donate blood each year, that’s only 3% of the eligible population. The qualifications are simple: Be 17 or older (there’s no top age limit as long as you’re in good health); feel well; and weigh 110 pounds or more. Many people are disqualified because of various infections, low iron, travel, pregnancy and other factors, so if you are eligible, give it some consideration.

At the donation site, after a brief health assessment (temperature, blood pressure, iron level), you’ll be able to give the gift of life to a fellow human being.

Isn’t there artificial blood?

Researchers are racing to develop artificial red blood cells that could stand in for whole blood, but we’re probably a decade away from that becoming reality. For now, there’s no substitute for the real McCoy.

The parts can be greater than the whole

While you can donate whole blood six times a year, platelet donors (like Rocco) can give up to 24 times a year. This is because the donation process takes only part of your blood and returns the rest.

Platelets are tiny blood cells that form clots and stop bleeding. For millions of Americans, they are essential to surviving and fighting cancer, chronic diseases and traumatic injuries. Every 15 seconds, someone needs platelets.

You may even be able to sign up to donate platelets to help a friend with cancer. In platelet donation and transfusion, it’s generally not necessary to match blood types.

Why don’t more people donate?

The number of people who donate blood has dropped about 20% in the last few years. Fears about safety and needles keep some people from donating. There’s also the bystander effect: It’s common not to take action in a situation if you think someone else will.

Does giving blood actually hurt? It can, but it’s usually no worse than stubbing your toe. There’s that moment when you know the needle is coming close to the vein in your arm; the best thing to do is look away or close your eyes and keep breathing until that moment passes.

There are also still myths about who and who can’t donate. In the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, there were no tests to screen for HIV, so gay and bisexual men were prohibited from donating. The FDA rescinded that blanket ban in 2023 in favor of questions that assess the risk of HIV regardless of gender or gender expression.

Also, yes, you can donate if you have tattoos and piercings, as long as it was more than three months prior, you’re completely healed and you took care to be inked or poked at a state-regulated facility. (That also means you can’t use fear of needles as an excuse!)

Virtual reality comes to blood donation

For some people, giving blood is easy — and you get snacks when you’re finished. For others, though, it can be unpleasant, and they are unlikely to become first-time donors, let alone repeat donors.

Virtual reality to the rescue, or actually a subset of VR called “mixed reality,” which mingles the real and virtual worlds.

In 2023, a blood collection center in central Illinois let donors take their minds off the process by focusing on planting a garden — with just their eyes. Donors used the Microsoft HoloLens 2 to play Paragon, a game created by Abbott Labs and Blood Centers of America. The thinking is that a positive emotional response to blood donation will encourage folks to become repeat customers.

A blood donation truly is a unique gift that transcends gender, age, ethnic and political lines. Find a collection center or blood donor event near you, and roll up your sleeve.

• Teri (Dreher) Frykenberg is a board-certified patient advocate. A critical care registered nurse for 30+ years, she is founder of NShore Patient Advocates (www.NorthShoreRN.com). Her book, “How to Be a Healthcare Advocate for Yourself & Your Loved Ones,” is available on Amazon. She is offering a free phone consultation to Daily Herald readers; email her at teri@northshorern.com.