OLYMPIA, Wash. — Wednesday marks World Blood Donor Day and Washington state health officials are urging the public to donate ahead of the higher-need summer season.
The Washington State Department of Health and the Washington State Blood Coalition issued a release Wednesday pushing for volunteers to donate blood.
The departments said the warmer summer months elevate the need for donors as more accidents occur, while donations decline due to vacations and class breaks at schools.
“We are heading into a perfect storm if we don’t start building our blood supply now,” said Jennifer Hawkins, Vitalant Northwest regional director.
The department said most people ages 18 and over and weighing at least 110 pounds can donate whole blood. In Washington, minors ages 16-17 can donate with a parent's consent, according to the release. More information on eligibility criteria can be found here.
Appointments last between 1-2 hours depending on the type of donation.
Where can I donate locally?
The Red Cross has local drives in areas across western Washington on a regular basis. Their zip code search tool enables potential donors to find the nearest drives with availability.
Bloodworks Northwest has 10 donation centers in western Washington and offers mobile blood drives, which can be found here.
Cascade Regional Blood Services offers a zip code search tool that allows you to find nearby donor options.
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