Year-end blood drive gives gift of life

Published Dec. 30, 2010
By Senior Airman Debbie Lockhart
366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho -- The open gymnasium buzzed with the sound of Red Cross workers and volunteers getting ready for the day's blood drive. Cookies and treats filled a table waiting to be eaten by those who had donated blood while phlebotomists set up each station to get ready for the first wave of appointments.

James Koseki, the blood drive coordinator, waited excitedly at the door to welcome and personally thank each Airman and civilian who volunteered to donate.

"Donating blood is one of the few things someone can do to actually save a life," said Koseki.

With an estimated 5 million patients needing blood transfusions per year, the Red Cross works closely with more than 50,000 blood drive sponsors to meet the nation's blood supply needs. Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho is one of their blood drive sponsors.

The base held its final blood drive of the year at the fitness center gymnasium, Dec. 15 with a goal of collecting 100 units of blood.

In the past the goal for each blood drive was 60 units, and with the help of first sergeants, commanders and public affairs that nearly doubled so the base made a new goal, said Koseki.

Each unit of blood donated can save at least three lives, and with 38,000 blood transfusions needed daily every donor can make a difference.

"It's really important especially around the holidays to donate blood and help a family," said Airman 1st Class Erica Strong, an air traffic controller for the 366th Operations Support Squadron.

Units collected from the base blood drive are used in Idaho, Utah and Montana. Donations also go to the Veterans Hospital in Boise.

For every three donors the medical group on base receives one credit. Credits are used to purchase units of blood; otherwise a replacement fee is charged.

The VA Hospital has returning veterans who at one point in their lives require blood transfusions, said Koseki. "They use a lot more than we do so we transfer our credits to them to allow the hospital to use their money to buy other medical supplies," he said.

-For some, donating blood can be a scary thing to do, but the results of a single donation can be life changing.

The process takes about an hour, but the donation itself takes around 10 minutes.
"Just taking one hour out of your day can really make a difference," said Airman Strong.

After the donations are made, the Red Cross has eight hours to take the collected blood and get it spun down into its three components: red cells, platelets and plasma. The units collected from the blood drive are shipped to Salt Lake City for testing.

Dozens of tests are run on each unit of blood to ensure the donation is free of disease and establish blood type. From the testing facility, the blood is stored and then dispersed to medical agencies in the surrounding area.

"I want to let everyone know how important it is to donate blood not only for the base but the people in the three states this blood ships to and the wounded veterans who deserve our help," said Koseki.

To find a blood drive nearby, or to learn more about donating blood visit www.redcross.org.

Although the donations from this blood drive are going to the tri-state area, the military has its own blood drive here once a year. The next military blood drive will be held in April and the majority of the units collected will be sent overseas.

People who are blood type AB lack certain proteins in their blood, which means they can give their plasma to any blood group. Because of this AB plasma is in very high demand.
In the war zone, medics use type AB plasma exclusively, type O negative is used for newborns, and blood that is RH negative is also an important thing to have, said Koseki.

With statistics that say every two seconds someone in the United States needs a blood transfusion, it is vital that the blood supply stays stocked.

"The response from base during the blood drives is incredible and I can't thank the people on base enough for what they are doing here," said Koseki.

Year-end blood drive gives gift of life

Year-end blood drive gives gift of life

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