Sioux Falls, SD- With over 24,000 blood collection staff around the United States, it’s easy to see why these people are so important to our nation. Blood Collectors week kicks off Monday, September 5 to Friday, September 9, 2022. The demand for whole blood, apheresised platelets, and plasma continues to remain high in our country with over 43,000 blood donations required each day to keep up with the needs of hospitals patients.
Locally, Community Blood Bank requires 120 donations per day to maintain a strong blood supply for our 38 local hospitals. Our staff are at the heart of ensuring the right blood type and quantities are readily available when a critically ill patient is in need of a transfusion. Hope is provided each day by the hands of these gifted people with little thought about how the blood was collected and processed to ensure a timely, high quality product that will impact the life of a family member, friend, or perhaps a neighbor’s life. The mornings are early, the days are long, but for many staff members at Community Blood Bank this is a calling that cannot be simply expressed. They have made a choice to improve the life of our patients through the talent of blood collection. Each person plays their part to secure a blood supply that will be available for those with cancer, experiencing a trauma, or a much needed surgery. Our staff are the heroes that are behind a successful kidney transplant, heart surgery, or caring for a person involved in a serious car accident.
“We are celebrating our staff members this week and their gifts that shape our blood supply for so many local hospitals around the area,” says Ken Versteeg, Executive Director, Community Blood Bank. “Whether it is a 5:00 a.m. start or an 8:00 p.m. end of the day, our staff will be there with a smile on their faces and a desire to impact lives by providing quality service to our volunteer blood donors. They plan the day knowing their hard work will sustain life to up to 300 patients each day. Our team works together to provide something special and rare. This is not a job, it’s a calling for many of them. The work saves lives and at the end of the day, that is what it is all about.”
To become a blood donor, people can log onto cbblifeblood.org or call 605-331-3222. To become a blood bank phlebotomist, visit Sanford USD Medical Center or Avera McKennan Hospital websites. We are grateful for the amazing support provided by all those in the community, coming out to provide the gift of life. Community Blood Bank is a joint cooperative of Sanford USD Medical Center and Avera McKennan Hospital.
