20 Years of Celebration and Saving Lives

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is celebrating the 20th anniversary of World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) on June 14, 2024. This global event, established in 2005 by the World Health Organization (WHO), is dedicated to raising awareness about the need for a safe supply of blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving donations.

WBDD serves as a reminder of the important role that blood donations play in our healthcare system. Every day, blood donors in our community and around the world make a profound impact on the lives of patients who need transfusions for surgeries, cancer treatments, chronic illnesses, and traumatic injuries.

This year, our community has faced many challenges, including unprecedented weather conditions and severe floods, which led to donor centers' temporary closure and several blood drives' cancelations. These disruptions and the typical summer decline in donations as people go on vacation and schools are out have impacted our local blood supply.

Maintaining a stable blood supply is essential to ensure we are prepared for emergencies such as natural disasters, accidents, or medical treatments requiring transfusions. We never know what the future will bring, and having a stable blood supply is vital for our community's health. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center supplies 170 hospitals and healthcare facilities in a 26-county area, where the need for blood is constant. Every day, we need to collect 1,000 blood donations to maintain the area hospitals we serve.

In conjunction with WBDD, we also recognize Blood Advocacy Week (June 10-14). This collaborative initiative, supported by over 80 prominent organizations nationwide, advocates for policies encouraging blood donation and ensuring equitable access to blood products. We invite everyone to explore BloodAdvocacyWeek.org and discover how they can contribute to this crucial cause.

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center would like to remind everyone of the continuous need for blood donors. We invite businesses, organizations, churches, and community groups to help by hosting blood drives in their community. Hosting a blood drive is free and can impact many lives. For more information on how to host a blood drive, visit giveblood.org/host-a-blood-drive.

Those feeling healthy can schedule an appointment and make regular donations to ensure a stable blood supply. Visit giveblood.org to find a convenient location. The donation process is quick and easy and can be done at any of our 18 donor centers and mobile blood drives in the Greater Houston, Brazos Valley, and East Texas Areas.

Join us in celebrating the 20th Anniversary of World Blood Donor Day. Together, we can make a difference in our community and help save lives.

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is the sole provider of blood and blood components 24/7 to more than 170 hospitals and health care facilities in a 26-county Texas Gulf Coast region. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is a nonprofit organization and is accredited by the Food and Drug Administration