By Tim Mastro

Blood-donation events, both big and small, have looked to boost the state’s supply during a nationwide shortage.

The amount of blood in reserve has been affected by low donor turnout and blood drive cancellations, especially at schools.

January was a particularly tough month for student drives, as several were postponed due to the surge in COVID-19 cases or severe weather. Prior to the pandemic, 25% of annual donations were made at high schools and colleges.

On the Delmarva Peninsula alone, nearly 79,000 blood donations are needed each year, according to the Blood Bank of Delmarva. Statistics also show that 9 of 10 individuals will need blood or a blood product at some time in their lives, while approximately 1 of every 10 hospital patients requires a blood transfusion (on average about 3 pints).

To increase the flow of donors, Bayhealth, BBD and Delaware State University recently teamed up for “Ballin’ for Blood” earlier this month.

It yielded 33 units of blood, 29 from whole-blood donors and four from two double-red cell donors, BBD officials said, adding that one unit of blood can save up to three lives.

Donors at the event were rewarded with $10 Chick-fil-A gift cards, courtesy of Bayhealth, plus the chance to win an Apple Watch. DSU contributed free T-shirts and blankets, as well.

As a regional trauma center, Bayhealth relies heavily on donations from BBD and also sponsors DSU’s athletic program, so the team effort made a lot of sense, Bayhealth vice president of marketing and communication Kevin Snyder said.

“There’s a lot of demand for blood these days, which means we need to do everything we can to support them, and that’s what this joint effort between Bayhealth, DSU and BBD was all about.”

Tony Prado, communications specialist at BBD, said Delaware’s blood supply is constantly rising and falling.

“It depends on the day,” he said. “Sometimes, it gets a little better, and we’re at three, maybe four days (of supply), but then you get to this week, and it plummets again.”
Bayhealth and BBD are running several other promotions this month to increase turnout.

The “O for a Cup of Joe” series will run until March 31. It began in November and rewards donors with $5 e-gift cards for coffee or tea after completing a digital form, as well as an entry into a drawing for a MacBook.

By posting to social media about the donation and the free drink to encourage others to donate, plus using the hashtag #O4JOE and tagging @Bayhealth and @DelmarvaBlood, donors will receive an additional entry for the drawing (maximum of 10 entries).

More information about the initiative is available here.

BBD has also partnered with the Food Bank of Delaware in March to secure financial donations through the “Save 1, Feed 1” campaign, in which donors can request that the Blood Bank send a $1 donation on their behalf to the Food Bank.

In addition, the Food Bank held a blood drive last week that booked 33 donors, BBD said.

Save 1, Feed 1 continues until March 31. For information, see here.

Those interested in donating blood should visit here or call 888-8-BLOOD-8. BBD has donor centers in Dover, Newark, Dagsboro and Salisbury, Maryland. It also hosts mobile drives throughout Delmarva.

Individuals can donate regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. However, if a donor is experiencing a cold, sore throat, respiratory infection or flu-like symptoms, he or she is not eligible.