Ann Sullivan was the first scheduled blood donor this past Tuesday in Grand Marais. Across the country blood donations are down. America’s blood donors are aging and the younger generation is not replacing them, causing a shortage. Staff photo/Brian Larsen
This past week in Tofte on Monday afternoon, in Grand Marais on Tuesday, and Wednesday morning at Grand Portage, the Memorial Bloodmobile provided a clean, safe environment with masks and social distancing, so Cook County residents and visitors could help fill the void in our blood supply.
Although many residents made appointments, a drop in donations was possible as well, depending on the capacity in the bloodmobile. Each bloodmobile’s capacity is less now, due to COVID-19 and the need for social distancing by both staff and donors. As a result, two bloodmobiles came to Cook County, parking adjacent to each other.
Blood donations are down significantly due to spring stay at home orders, the demographics of who generally donates, and who is more at risk given this pandemic. But Monday in Tofte, the goal of 34 units was met! What a great demonstration of the commitment of our Cook County residents. It was hoped the goals set for Grand Marais and Grand Portage would be met, as well.
Here in Cook County, senior citizens typically make up a significant portion of the blood donors, along with high school students (16 years and older) and staff. Due to distance learning and the stay at home order, the school’s spring blood drive was canceled.
Now, senior citizens are going out less to reduce their COVID-19 exposure and other generations honestly don’t donate as much, resulting in a severe blood shortage.
America’s donor population is aging and young donors are not replacing them. According to Vitilant, the nation’s oldest non-profit community blood service providers, 34 percent of those 20-39 return within a year, vs. 62 percent of those over 55.
Blood cannot be synthetically made, so only volunteer blood donors can save lives. Blood also doesn’t last forever; red blood cells have a shelf life of only 42 days, so the supply must be constantly refurbished. Some patients need dozens of units of blood to save or sustain their lives.
Ann Sullivan, the first scheduled donor on Tuesday in Grand Marais, recalled the first time she gave blood. “I was serving as a principal in a Twin Cities school district, and one of my student’s parents was a police officer shot while responding to a bank robbery. In addition to having to pull that student from the classroom into the office to share sensitive, tragic news and then putting the school in lockdown due to the proximity of the robbery suspect, I remember this police officer, ironically named Mike Blood, needing so much blood!”
It was during the first community blood drive for Mike that Ann started donating, and she has been regularly doing it ever since. Mike needed 120 units, or about 15 gallons of blood. “Later in life, I remember how proud I was when one of the staff in a bloodmobile told me I had given enough blood for an entire football team. All us know someone who has needed or will need blood; it is important to donate if you are able,” Ann said.
This summer, donors were encouraged to complete health history questions online; eligibility requirements during COVID-19 and a self-screening guideline were additions to what a donor would typically see. Usually, Ann donates at ISD 166 during the school year and Grand Portage during the summer. This year was a little different, as she went to bloodmobile #1, parked in the parking lot of the Hub (formerly known as the Senior Center) on Tuesday.
Memorial Blood Center staff reminded those individuals donating blood that during this pandemic, they needed to bring an ID, a receipt of their “iDonate” certificate if completing the health history online, and a mask or face covering. By the way, you do not need to know your blood type in order to donate.
If you missed donating in Cook County this week and still want to give, you can contact the Memorial Blood Center in Duluth. It is located at the Burning Tree Plaza, near the mall. Please call 888-448-3253 for more information. Be a volunteer blood donor and save a life!
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