Nearly 450 donate blood during April drive on campus

Nearly 450 people registered to donate blood during the Puget Sound Blood Center's drive on the Western Washington University campus April 17 to 19.

The blood donations collected at the blood drive are critical in order to maintain a stable blood supply for surgeries, medical emergencies and for supporting patients battling life-threatening illnesses like cancer and leukemia.

Each weekday, 900 people must donate blood to meet the needs of patients in Western Washington hospitals. A total of 441 donated at Western alone during the three-day drive.

The following patients are just a few of the many who have received blood from Puget Sound Blood Center in the past few days:

• 10-month-old patient: liver transplant. Patient used 11 units red blood cells, 10 units plasma and four units platelets.
• 60-year-old patient: heart surgery. Patient used 25 units red blood cells, 27 units plasma, 11 units platelets and two cryoprecipitate pools.
• 24-year-old patient: aortic valve repair. Patient used 10 units red blood cells, 14 units plasma, seven units platelets and two cryoprecipitate pools.
• 58-year-old patient: dissecting aortic aneurysm. Patient used 24 units red blood cells, 26 units plasma, five units platelets and eight cryoprecipitate pools.
• 51-year-old patient: gastro-intestinal bleeding. Patient used 18 units red blood cells, 10 units plasma and one unit platelets.