Students, other donors are asked to give blood to boost Washington’s supply

The Washington State Department of Health and Northwest Blood Coalition are urging eligible blood donors to schedule donations, especially as summer ends and the school year begins.

High school and college students make up almost 25 percent of blood donations, according to Northwest Blood Coalition.

The Northwest Blood Coalition is formed by four blood donation centers currently serving Washington: Vitalant, Cascade Regional Blood Centers, BloodworksNW and the American Red Cross Northwest Region.

“Blood centers enthusiastically welcome students back to school,” Curt Bailey, president and CEO at BloodworksNW, said in a news release. “We want to engage those interested in the rewarding, lifesaving act of donating blood — whether they’ve done it before or it’s their first time.”

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood, according to a news release. Donated blood is crucial for those undergoing surgeries, cancer treatments, blood disorder treatments, complications from childbirth and other serious conditions and injuries. However, blood supply shortages continue to be a nationwide concern, and Washington stateis no exception.

To learn more and schedule an appointment, visit www.bloodworksnw.org.