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West is pleased to welcome guest blogger and valued corporate partner The American Red Cross
CRISPR gene therapy recipient Jimi Olaghere shares his journey with sickle cell disease with four-gallon milestone blood donor Kristine C. Smith at the American Red Cross Midtown Donation Center in Atlanta, GA. Jimi was born with sickle cell disease and has received over 200 blood transfusions throughout his life. “When you donate blood, you are literally saving someone’s life,” said Jimi.
Usage Terms: Editorial/Informational, Promotional, Fundraising and Commercial Use by the American Red Cross and approved partners.Editorial/Informational Use by Media.Necessary releases obtained. No TM issues.
June 14 is World Blood Donor Day, a time to raise awareness of the need for blood donations. Established in 2004 by the World Health Organization, it’s also an opportunity to recognize volunteer donors for their selfless gift of lifesaving blood.
Every 2 seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. Blood and platelet transfusions can be essential for people experiencing medical emergencies – from accident victims and people fighting sickle cell disease to cancer patients and new mothers. The American Red Cross supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood, and we are grateful for partners like West Pharmaceutical Services that support our efforts to maintain a safe and stable blood supply.
As a committed supporter of the Red Cross, West made its first donation in 1983. In the decades that followed, they provided funding in the wake of numerous large-scale disasters, including Superstorm Sandy and Hurricanes Harvey and Maria. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, an Emergency Response Vehicle funded by West was deployed to Asheville, North Carolina on October 3, 2024, providing roughly 4,000 meals daily to those in need through December 31.
In addition to providing vital disaster relief support, they have hosted nearly 90 blood drives since 1992 – resulting in more than 2,175 units of blood collected and thousands of lives saved – and welcomed 314 first-time blood donors.
In 2024, West expanded its support with a four-year commitment to the Red Cross supporting both disaster relief and the Sickle Cell Initiative – a program designed to increase the number of blood donors who are Black.
Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic blood disorder in the U.S. and can cause severe pain, tissue and organ damage and even strokes. It affects more than 100,000 people across the country, primarily those of African descent. One in three African American blood donors is a match for people with sickle cell disease, many of whom rely on blood transfusions to help manage the extreme pain and life-threatening complications of the disease. On June 19, we acknowledge World Sickle Cell Day to raise awareness of this disease and support those affected by it. West’s donation is helping the Red Cross engage blood donors from all backgrounds to help maintain a strong blood supply for all patients in need.
Blood and platelets cannot be manufactured, they can only come from volunteer donors. Just three out of 100 people in the U.S. give blood, making blood donors a special and generous group of people.
We are thankful for donors like Kristine, a clinical social worker in pediatrics. She saw children who needed blood products to manage sickle cell disease and leukemia. And donors like Ruben, who received a blood transfusion during surgery when he was younger and can pay it forward by donating now.
Argentinian born, Ruben Vassolo received a blood transfusion in his 20’s during surgery.
Photo by Mimi Teller/American Red Cross
Usage Terms: Editorial, Promotional and Fundraising Use by the American Red Cross and approved Sponsors/Donors/Partners.Editorial Use by Media.For Commercial Use, consult OGC.Extended releases obtained or no identifiable people depicted. No TM issues.Usage Term Level: ExtendedCopyright Notice: © The American National Red Cross 2023
"As someone who's been a blood donor since college, and who speaks with medical colleagues worldwide, blood donors are critical to sustaining public health year-round," said Dr. Yvette Miller, executive medical officer for the American Red Cross Donor and Client Support Center in Charlotte, N.C. "To meet this ongoing need, the Red Cross is grateful for our generous donors and welcomes individuals from all backgrounds to join our humanitarian mission to alleviate suffering."
The Red Cross must collect more than 12,000 blood donations and about 3,000 platelet donations daily to meet the needs of patients across the country. Blood and platelet donations must be transfused within a certain amount of time – 42 days for blood and just five days for platelets – meaning donors are always needed.
Blood donations typically decline in late spring and early summer – especially during holiday weeks, like Memorial Day and Independence Day. The need for lifesaving blood doesn’t take a summer break, and this is especially true as extreme weather – which can impact blood drives – increases in frequency and intensity. Last summer, the Red Cross declared a national blood shortage in August as severe weather and extreme heat disrupted drives from coast to coast.
As we recently celebrated World Blood Donor Day, we invite you to roll up a sleeve and help maintain the blood supply this summer by making an appointment to give at RedCrossBlood.org. It only takes about an hour to donate, and you can make all the difference for someone who needs a lifesaving transfusion.
And to donors everywhere – thank you for helping save lives.
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