By Laurie Chang, director of communications, Blood Bank of Hawaii
You may not have ever needed blood, but chances are you know someone who did – a loved one, a friend, coworker or neighbor.
That person got a second chance at life because of a blood donor’s act of kindness.
Bobby Kawakami knows there is nothing small about each drop of the 50 pints of blood he received after he was hit by a car while riding his bike to work in 2009.
Now a paraplegic, Bobby continues to pedal his way back to a normal, healthy life with his trademark smile.
He is keenly aware that blood can’t be bought at the mall or grown on a farm.
It comes from only one source – volunteer blood donors like you.
Every day in Hawaii, hundreds of patients like Bobby count on blood donors for their survival. Because each donation separates into three components – red blood cells, platelets and plasma – a single donation can save three lives.
While 60 percent of people will need blood in their lifetime, only 2 percent of Hawaii’s adult population donates. Summer months and holidays find even fewer donors, with students on break and families taking vacations.
The need for blood, however, never takes a vacation.
Each day, Blood Bank of Hawaii (BBH) staff work hard to collect 200 pints to fulfill its mission: maintaining a safe and adequate blood supply for Hawaii’s patients. Today, BBH’s two donor locations – Dillingham and Young Street Donor Centers – and mobile fleet of bloodmobiles and vans make donations convenient and easy.
By donating blood, you’ll help ensure blood is available for all who need it, perhaps even a loved one or friend.
For more information about donating blood and BBH, visit bbh.org.
Call 848-4770 today for an appointment. Give blood.
It’s safe.
It’s simple.
It saves lives.
