Subscribe
SAN DIEGO – Receiving blood from a donor can mean the difference between life or death for someone in need. In order to receive life-sustaining blood, others must first be willing to donate some of their own.
“It’s not the blood on the shelf that helps, it’s the continuation of donations to keep up with the high demands for it,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Ian Evangelista, a laboratory technician assigned to Naval Medical Center San Diego’s (NMCSD) blood donation laboratory. “Nobody plans to need blood, which is why donating is so important.”
The demand is now higher than ever due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our ability to hold blood drives at military installations throughout San Diego County,” said Doreen Rekoski, one of NMCSD’s blood donation recruiters. “Our situation is similar to what is happening at other blood donor centers; both military and civilian.”
Blood donations received at NMCSD not only help patients and beneficiaries, but they help forward-deployed service members and operational units around the world.
Approximately five percent of eligible donors actually donate, said Rekoski. Regular donors, those committed to giving blood once a season, are important in ensuring blood is available year-round.
“We support both the West and East Coast fleet demands,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Kwasi Boakye, a laboratory technician assigned to NMCSD’s blood donation laboratory. “That is why it is so important to receive donations. These donations help save the lives of our service members and their families.”
Each donation has the potential to save three lives. Blood units are separated into three main components: red blood cells (RBCs), plasma and platelets. Volunteers may donate blood, which is then separated into RBCs and plasma, or just platelets as the collection process is different. Plasma is used to increase blood volume while RBCs are what carry oxygen to the brain.
“As a laboratory technician, it makes me feel really good to have a hand in each and every donation,” said Boakye. “Something that seems so small can really change a person’s life or save it, and that is a feeling that is hard to describe.”
All types of blood are accepted for donation, however O negative, O positive and both AB blood types are the most needed because they are used most often during emergencies. Those who donate blood directly support fellow service members in need at medical facilities and troops deployed worldwide.
NMCSD accepts walk-in blood donations Monday through Friday. Donors can also schedule appointments.
NMCSD’s mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training, and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians, and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.
Visit navy.mil/local/sd/ or facebook.com/NMCSD for more information.
| Date Taken: | 06.03.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.24.2020 09:50 |
| Story ID: | 372178 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NMCSD Keeps the Blood Flowing, by PO3 Harley Sarmiento, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
LEAVE A COMMENT