By Rebecca Marshall, American Red Cross Cascades Communications Director

Every year, 194 countries around the world, including the United States, celebrate World Blood Donor Day. The event, which happens on June 14th, serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

The need for blood is constant. Every 2 seconds someone in the US needs blood. Every 15 seconds somebody needs platelets. One in 7 hospital patients will need a blood transfusion for things like surgery, trauma, cancer treatment or Sickle Cell Anemia.

Blood donations are essential for patients who need many different medical treatments, including the Dandridge family. David Dandridge, Jr. and his three children were born with sickle cell disease, the most common genetic blood disorder in the United States. This blood disorder can cause severe pain, tissue and organ damage, and even strokes. Both David and his daughter, Skylar, have endured pain crises and relied on blood transfusions to treat the unbearable levels of pain.

Sandy Thornton is a cancer survivor today, but over the course of a year, she would need 55 platelet transfusions and over 25 red blood transfusions. These were the only things that kept her alive until she could get a bone marrow transplant.

Maintaining our blood supply is our mission at the American Red Cross Cascades Region. In 2024 alone, we collected over 252,000 red blood cell units. That includes donations made at our fixed sites and our mobile blood drives. The blood we collect is distributed to more than 65 hospitals and cancer treatment centers in Oregon and Washington

Behind every unit of blood is a person who knows how important it is to keep up our blood supply, like Teddy Peetz and William McGinniss, both in their 80’s, who’ve been giving blood side by side for 32 years. They were inspired by McGinniss’ wife who had cancer and decided to keep this tradition going. It’s their chance to catch up every couple of months. McGinniss’ wife is now a cancer survivor.

Many people donate because they know someone who needed blood at some time in their lives, others donate because they themselves needed blood. Some just want to help people they’ve never met.  

Giving blood is easy, it takes about an hour, with the actual blood donation taking about 10 to 15 minutes. It ends with free snacks and drinks and the knowledge that you helped save a life.

Please consider donating by going to RedCrossBlood.org and signing up for an appointment.

Our hearts go out to anyone who needs blood transfusions to stay alive and healthy. We also recognize blood and platelet donors, today and every day, for their life-saving actions today.