Did you know that every two seconds, someone in the U. S. needs a blood transfusion? But for the past four years, Red Cross blood donors have declined by about 80,000 each year, according to Mary Pucel, Donor Recruitment Director.
In light of the steady decline of donors, The American Red Cross launched a campaign in an attempt to gain new blood donors and encourage previous donors to donate again, and just in time, June 14th is World Blood Donor Day. The campaign, which is titled “Missing Types” aims to draw attention to the blood types in lowest supply on hospital shelves: A, B, and O. As part of the campaign, the letters A, B, and O, which are used to ID blood types, are disappearing from recognizable brands, corporate logos, and websites. Adobe, MasterCard, the New York Yankees, Oreo, Salesforce, and IBM, just to name a few, are teaming up with The American Red Cross.
"You might not realize how important certain letters are until they are gone"
So why is blood supply down? Well, the disconnect between the realities of blood transfusion and the public’s perception of blood donations needs could be to blame. A survey conducted by the Red Cross highlights some of the misconceptions that hinder the efforts to supply enough blood to hospitals and clinics that need it. According to the survey:
- About 45 percent of people know someone who's been impacted by a blood transfusion, but only 3 percent of the U.S. population donates.
- 74 percent of the public underestimate how frequently blood transfusions occur
- Most people perceive that blood is needed in the U.S. every 15 minutes or even every hour or two hours when in fact, every two seconds, someone in this country needs blood.
- 35 percent of the public has never considered that blood may not be available when they or a loved one need it
Here at Extract we understand the need for all blood types in the healthcare industry; in fact it is a vital component for patient care. We encourage you, if you are able, to donate now, and to continue to donate in the future. You never know if someone close to you or even yourself may need a blood transfusion.
Join the #MissingType movement—you can make an appointment to give blood by visiting redcrossblood.org, using the Red Cross Blood Donor App or calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). All blood types are needed.
About the Author: Taylor Genter
Taylor is the Marketing Specialist at Extract with experience in data analytics, graphic design, and both digital and social media marketing. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing at the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater. Taylor enjoys analyzing people’s behaviors and attitudes to find out what motivates them, and then curating better ways to communicate with them.