Most of you do not know that we are nearing the end of National Blood Donor month. Now you might question what that has to do with agriculture. We all know that a good number of farmers shed blood on a regular basis. Busted knuckles, minor cuts, torn fingernails, splinters in the hand, scraped shins, bumped heads and multiple other encounters with on-farm obstacles often draw blood from various body extremities. January as National Blood Donor month is an awareness campaign designed to promote voluntary blood donations for the good of our communities and our country.

Many of us relish rural lifestyles because of the can-do attitudes of farmers and those folks who are only one, two or three generations away from the farm. To be fair, most anyone with a strong work ethic possesses the same “we can accomplish darn near anything” mindset, typical of small communities and rural residents. A few management types within blood collection circles have shared with me that blood donation rates within rural populations are significantly higher than that of our urban counterparts. Thus, yet another challenge shouldered by agriculture and rural America needs to be nurtured for the benefit of the entire population.

Major disasters generally result in the greatest outpouring of blood donors, yet typically utilize a very small portion of the total blood supply. High media coverage during such events encourages people to donate. The daunting task of both America’s Blood Centers and the American Red Cross: supplying the 39,000 units of blood needed every day.  

America’s Blood Centers, founded in 1962 is North America’s largest network of community-based, independent blood programs. The federation operates more than 600 blood centers, providing nearly half of the U.S. and a quarter of the Canadian blood supply. These blood centers serve more than 150 million people and provide blood products and services to more than 3,500 hospitals and healthcare facilities across the continent. The Centers are licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada.

The American Red Cross, through its 36 Blood Services Regions and five National Testing Laboratories, supplies more than 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply. Over six million units of whole blood were collected from nearly four million Red Cross volunteer donors, separated into 9.5 million components, and supplied to approximately 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers to meet the needs of patients last year.  

Both the Red Cross and America’s Blood Centers contribute to the national blood supply, which must cover everyday needs and unexpected disasters. Volunteer blood donors are needed year-round to ensure there is enough blood on the shelves whenever and wherever it is needed. A three-day supply is the optimum blood inventory level. When the supply drops below a three-day level, local donors are often alerted to increase the inventory to a safe operating level.

A common misunderstanding about blood usage is that accident victims use the most blood. In reality, people who receive the most blood/blood products include those: being treated for cancer, undergoing orthopedic surgeries, having organ or marrow transplants, undergoing cardiovascular surgeries or receiving treatment for inherited blood disorders.

While you are reading this, someone in America needs blood.

In fact, blood is needed every 2 seconds and about one in seven people entering a hospital needs blood. Also, treatment of accident victims, cancer and surgery patients and hemophiliacs always requires blood. Blood cannot be manufactured or harvested.

Our blood supply comes from caring donors just like you. When you donate blood, you give someone another laugh, another hug, another chance. 

If your are healthy, plan to take about an hour of your time every eight weeks. Give the gift of life.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Roger Bender may write to him in care of this publication.