Needing Blood

Someone needs a blood transfusion every three seconds, and one in ten patients entering a hospital will need blood. Close to 350 people need to donate every day to meet the daily needs of the hospitals we serve, and be prepared for emergencies. In order to collect the units needed, The Blood Connection must screen over 400 people a day for blood, platelet, plasma and double red cell units. Blood is good for only 42 days, so donors are needed every day to ensure a stable blood supply.

Passing on life to those with life-threatening conditions such as:

• Cancer
• Heart and blood vessel disease
• Disease of the gastrointestinal tract
• Emergencies such as car accidents and burns

How Much Does it Take to Save Lives?

Automobile Accident: 50 units of blood

Heart Surgery: 6 units of blood, 6 units of platelets

Organ Transplant: 40 units of blood, 30 units of platelets, 20 bags of cryoprecipitate, 25 units of fresh frozen plasma

Bone Marrow Transplant: 120 units of platelets, 20 units of blood

Burn: 20 units of platelets