Finding a Few Extra Hours in the New Year Will Save Lives

What would you do if you had an extra hour in each day?

Today's fast-paced lifestyle doesn't often let us think about having extra time. We are too busy, have too much to do, or have some place to be. Are we also too busy to help save a life? Can we find one hour every 56 days, or even twice a year, to make a difference in someone's life?

Opinion polls tell us that one of the main reasons people currently don't donate blood is because they are too busy. When we consider what is on the horizon for 2009, there's a challenge ahead for all of us. The economy's ups and downs and the responsibilities of everyday life are going to demand more of our time and energy.

In 2008, more than 57,000 individuals found the time to donate blood with Virginia Blood Services, the sole supplier of blood to hospitals in Richmond and Central Virginia. In recognition of their selfless act, the month of January is designated as National Blood Donor Month.

Blood centers throughout the country use this opportunity to thank their individual donors and donor groups, such as the many Fortune 500 companies, churches, schools, and nonprofit organizations hosting blood drives throughout the year. To these individuals and groups, we say, "Thank you. Job well done."

Each year, more than 4.5 million patients need blood transfusions in the United States, and this number has steadily increased in recent years. Recent studies show that only 37 percent of the population is eligible to give blood -- and only about 5 percent of those who are eligible actually give.

Education is an important aspect of recruiting and retaining blood donors. If the 58 percent -- or 33,060 -- of blood donors in Central Virginia who already give blood once a year could find one extra hour during the year to make a second donation, there would never be another blood shortage in Central Virginia.

Who can be a blood donor? To be eligible, a donor must be at least 16 years old, weigh 110 pounds or more, and be in good health. From start to finish, the blood donation process takes about an hour -- not too much time when we are talking about the gift of life. A blood donor can give every 56 days.

What happens after you take the time to donate blood? One blood donation, which can be processed into as many as three transfusable blood components (red blood cells, platelets, and plasma), can go to three different patients, saving as many as three lives.

These components help treat individuals with specific needs -- children with leukemia, patients with heart disease, organ transplant recipients, cancer patients, and accident victims. Without blood donations, many people -- probably people you know -- would not be able to undergo life-saving medical procedures. More support is needed if we are to meet the growing needs of patients in our community.

Virginia Blood Services' commitment to educating Virginians about giving blood is driven by its mission "to inspire our community to provide a safe and reliable blood supply to the patients we serve." We, along with the 22 hospitals in Central Virginia that need blood every day to treat patients, are the stewards of Central Virginia's blood supply. We are responsible for managing the precious resource you take time to give for the sick and injured in our community.

As we enter this new year, we once again say "thank you" to those who donated in 2008 and ask that you consider setting aside an extra hour of your time to give the gift of life at least twice in 2009.

If you are a CEO, or another executive of a company that holds blood drives, please donate blood yourself and encourage your employees to take the time to donate blood. Senior management support of sponsored blood drives is increasingly important to make corporate blood drives as successful -- and productive -- as they can be.

It is a new year and patients in our community already need you. Don't do it for Virginia Blood Services, or the hospitals that receive your gift. Do it for patients in our hospitals with families and friends who want them to see another day.

We seek to thank our donors in many ways throughout the year. During National Blood Donor Month, we join blood centers throughout the country in thanking you for your continued support and commitment to saving lives.

We hope to see you often in 2009.
Robert E. Carden, Ph.D., is president and CEO of Virginia Blood Services. Contact him at (804) 213-4123 or .