DVIDS – News – Dwelling, Giving and Saving Lives: ASBP Grateful for Lifesavers Throughout Nationwide Blood Donor Month

Nationwide Blood Donor Month, established by a presidential proclamation in 1969, was created to deal with blood shortages through the winter season and to thank donors who’ve supported the Nation’s blood applications all year long. With January being Nationwide Blood Donor Month, the Armed Companies Blood Program wish to specific its gratitude for all its supporters whereas additionally calling consideration to the necessity for extra donors.

Traditionally, the variety of donations drops through the vacation and winter season in comparison with the remainder of the yr. This lower in donations is attributable to a number of components: folks take depart, holidays are deliberate, schedules change, climate situations impede, and/or sickness maintain folks residence. When these components are mixed, much less donors can be found however the want for blood stays the identical.

“Nationwide Blood Donor Month is a good time to cease and say thanks to the tens of 1000’s of ASBP blood donors who supported their navy household in 2022,” remarked ASBP Division Chief Navy Capt. Les Riggs. “These donors made a right away impression for our service members, their households, retirees, and veterans worldwide in want with lifesaving blood merchandise. Blood provide is a readiness mission; a worldwide mission. We’re grateful for that unbelievable impression they play within the mission; a mission that continues into 2023 as properly.”

ASBP donors perceive how essential donations are for our navy neighborhood, and their dedication to the mission locations them on the ‘coronary heart’ of this system. One such donor is Ruth Stevick who just lately reached her 450th platelet donation whereas on the Armed Companies Blood Financial institution Heart – Pacific Northwest (ASBBC-PNW); an unbelievable dedication each in time and in lifesaving donations. One other is donor and blood drive coordinator HM2 Samantha Lane is with the Medical Workplace of Assault Craft Unit One and donates with the ASBP’s Naval Medical Heart San Diego Blood Donor Heart. Lane has regularly donated blood for the previous decade whereas additionally coordinating blood drives. She is pushed by the non-public impression donations made on a younger member of the family who wanted blood merchandise.

The donations supplied by these ASBP lifesavers are used as a essential device for saving lives and likewise for treating varied situations. Blood merchandise can be utilized to deal with the warfighter far ahead in battle for emergency use, wherever they’re, in addition to for scheduled surgical procedures at a navy therapy facility. A single trauma sufferer can require dozens of models of blood, and one unit of blood can help the lifetime of a new child for 2 weeks.

Although service members are the biggest group of donors for the ASBP, one doesn’t should be within the navy to donate blood with the ASBP; navy members of the family, authorities staff, veterans and others usually help this system.

“Blood donation is the reward of life. As well being care suppliers, blood donors, and recipients, it is as much as us to speak in regards to the significance of blood donation and donate after we can,” stated Army Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Gragg, senior enlisted chief for the Protection Well being Company. “All of the medical experience within the

world would not matter if we do not have the required instruments for the duty, and one of the vital very important instruments we have now is blood.”

And donating with the ASBP has gotten simpler as a significant journey deferral was totally lifted in 2022: the restriction for Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob illness (vCJD), generally known as ‘Mad Cow’ illness. This deferral affected many throughout the navy neighborhood who’re or had been stationed in Europe. These beforehand affected might have the prospect to donate as soon as once more or for the primary time!

The ASBP is grateful for all of our donors and volunteers for dwelling, giving, and saving lives in 2022. Be a part of the ASBP in celebrating Nationwide Blood Donor Month by scheduling a donation at this time at https://www.militaryblood.dod.mil.

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In regards to the Armed Companies Blood Program

Since 1962, the Armed Companies Blood Program (ASBP) is the official blood program of the US navy. The ASBP mission is to offer high quality blood merchandise and help to navy well being care operations worldwide; from the battlefield to the native hospital, at any time when and wherever wanted. The ASBP collects, processes, shops, transports, and distributes blood merchandise to service members, their households, retirees and veterans in peace and warfare. In an ASBP Enterprise view – Navy Well being Affairs, Protection Well being Company, Service Blood Applications and Combatant Instructions – we function underneath frequent objectives, metrics, procedures, and work collectively to form the long run.

The ASBP is one in every of 4 organizations tasked with offering a secure blood provide to the nation. Our program additionally works carefully with our civilian counterparts in occasions of want.

To search out out extra in regards to the ASBP or schedule an appointment to donate, please go to www.militaryblood.dod.mil. To work together straight with ASBP workers members or get the newest information, comply with us @militaryblood on Fb, Twitter and @usmilitaryblood on Instagram.