SPOTLIGHT ON: ARE YOU A UNIVERSAL WHOLE BLOOD OR APHERESIS DONOR?
There
are four main blood types: A, B, AB, and O. Each blood type is
classified as either Rh Positive or Rh Negative. Common blood
types are needed more often because more patients have those types,
while less common types are more difficult to collect in an
emergency. The rarest blood type is the type that is needed and is
in short supply.
Click here to learn more about whole blood and apheresis donations.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION: Blood Drive of the Month 2010
Approximately
60 percent of the community's blood supply is collected at community
blood drive's. Each month, we recognize one community blood drives
sponsoring organization who puts forth an exceptional effort, shows its
commitment to our mission and strives for success in their blood
drives. We would like to thank the following “Blood Drive of the
Month” organizations for their continued support to CRBS, and commitment
to their community.
2010 BLOOD DRIVE OF THE MONTH AWARD WINNERS
January DaVita
February Good Samaritan Hospital March Central Wastewater Plant #1
April St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
May City of Federal Way
June Gordon Trucking Company July Young Professionals Network
August Lighthouse Christian Center September DeVry University October Intel November Lakeland Community and Top Food & Drug December Journey Community Church
CRBS
realizes that your time is extremely valuable. In order to make
donating more convenient and to better serve our community, we have
regularly scheduled blood drives in some of the outlying areas
surrounding our Tacoma, Puyallup and Federal Way Donor Centers.
These “convenience” blood drives happen on a weekly or monthly
basis at the same time and location. Below are our convenience drive
locations.
Albertsons - Gig Harbor 11330 51st Ave NW Gig Harbor, WA 98003 Every Monday | 11:30 AM - 6:00 PM Bridgeport Center (St. Clare Hospital Parking Lot) 11315 Bridgeport Way SW Lakewood, WA 98499 Every Wednesday | 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM Columbia Bank - Bonney Lake (Albertsons Parking Lot) 19925 State Route 410 E. Bonney Lake, WA 98390 Every Friday | 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM Lakeland Hills Community (Top Food's Parking Lot) 1408 Lake Tapps Parkway E. Auburn, WA 98092 1st Saturday monthly |9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Safeway - Graham 10105 224th Street E. Graham, WA 98338 1st Tuesday monthly | 3:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Safeway - Gig Harbor 4831 Point Fosdick Dr. NW Gig Harbor, WA 98335 2nd Saturday monthly | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM * (September through May) 2nd Tuesday Monthly| 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM * (June through August)
Safeway - Orting 215 Whitesell St. NW Orting, WA 98360 3rd Friday monthly | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM Safeway - Spanaway 15805 Pacific Ave. S Tacoma, WA 98444 Last Thursday monthly | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM Safeway - University Place 3842 Bridgeport Way University Place, WA 98466 Every Saturday | 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM * (September through May) Every Thursday | 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM * (June through August) Walmart - Yelm 17100 SR 507 SE Yelm, WA 98597 Last Sunday monthly | 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM
SPOTLIGHT ON: ARE YOU A UNIVERSAL WHOLE BLOOD OR APHERESIS DONOR?
WHOLE BLOOD
Did
you know, that O negative blood is considered the universal blood
type? This means that anyone – regardless of blood type - can
receive type O negative blood with minimal risk of a transfusion
reaction. Usually, blood transfusions match type and Rh factor
(which refers to a specific antigen in the blood). However, in an
emergency, type O negative red blood cells may be given to anyone,
especially if the situation is life-threatening, and there isn’t time to
determine the patient’s specific blood type. Babies at Mary Bridge
Children’s Hospital and Health Center also often require special O
negative blood for surgeries.
Approximately,
seven percent of the population has O negative blood, making this blood
type rare. It is essential that CRBS maintain a consistent supply
of O negative blood for patients in our community.
PLASMA & PLATELETS
Type
AB donors are the universal plasma and platelet donors. While
type AB red blood cells can be given to only AB patients, AB plasma and
platelets can be given to any patient in need. Type AB donors are
needed for apheresis donations, where CRBS can collect plasma and/or
platelets during a donor’s visit. Platelet donations have a short
life of only five days and must be collected daily. Plasma and
platelet donations support surgical and cancer patients, burn victims
and help with bleeding cessation's.
UNDERSTANDING APHERESIS (AUTOMATED) DONATIONS:
Apheresis
donation is an automated blood donation process in which donors give
specific components of blood (red blood cells, platelets, or plasma) to
meet the specific needs of our community. During an apheresis donation,
whole blood is drawn and separated, and the needed components are
collected while the remaining components are returned to the donor.
HOW CAN I BECOME AN AUTOMATED DONOR?
Just like a whole blood donation, automated donors must meet certain
minimum height and weight requirements, be in good health, and be
willing to give approximately one to two hours of their time. Platelet
donors are eligible to donate every seven days, and plasma donors are
eligible to donate every 28 days. If you have any questions
regarding donor eligibility, or for more information about becoming an
automated donor, please call our Apheresis Scheduler at
253-383-2553.
Federal Way Donor Center 909 S 336th Street, B-102 | Federal Way, WA 98003 Phone: (253) 927-0540 Fax: (253) 927-0543 Tacoma Donor Center 220 South I Street | Tacoma, WA 98405 Phone: (253) 383-2553 Fax: (253) 572-6340 or (253) 383-6083
Puyallup Donor Center 205-15th Avenue SW | Puyallup, WA 98371 Phone: (253) 841-4236 Fax: (253) 841-9760
