Blood still needed

BROOKINGS — This summer, the national blood supply dipped dangerously low, according to national and local blood donation organizations.

In June, the American Red Cross announced the country’s second-ever national blood supply crisis, when stores reached a less than one-day supply of type O positive blood available — and the national supply fell about 25 percent, year over year.

The first nationwide blood supply crisis occurred in 2022 due to extreme weather conditions and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Red Cross.

Tonya Peterson, the Executive Director for the Eastern South Dakota Chapter of the American Red Cross based in Sioux Falls, said recent blood donations have eased the shortage, but more blood is needed.

“We declared the emergency because the nation’s blood supply was extremely low, so we put out a call for action by our donors, and the supply has definitely improved. We are elevated out of the blood crisis by an outpouring of amazing blood donors, but we are one disaster away from getting back into the crisis phase,” Peterson said. “Every blood donation is critical to help prevent another shortage.”

The Red Cross collects blood at nationwide drives, processes it at regional manufacturing labs and ships units to about 2,500 hospitals and emergency sites across the United States, according to the Red Cross website.

Local blood donation needs
The Community Blood Bank in Sioux Falls, founded in 1976 and owned by Sanford Health and Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health System, provides blood to 43 area hospitals, including Brookings Health System and all Sioux Falls hospitals, according to Ken Versteeg, local Community Blood Bank executive director.

He credited local donors for helping stabilize the blood supply in recent weeks, although donations are always needed.

“In this area, it’s a gift for us to have individuals that are very community-focused. We’re very fortunate to have such a loyal base of donors who will support us in our needs, but we have had some bumps in the road this summer,” Versteeg said.

“Just in the last two weeks, we’ve experienced some shortages with O positive and O negative, and we needed to stabilize those specific blood types. Fortunately, we can contact our volunteers, and within 36 to 72 hours, our shortage has improved.”

The Community Blood Bank has three “donor rooms” in Sioux Falls along with three bloodmobile buses that travel within a 150-mile radius of Sioux Falls, Versteeg explained.

One donation via the Community Blood Bank can save up to three lives once the blood is separated into components — platelets, plasma and red blood cells — according to Versteeg.

“Once that blood is processed into those components, within 72 hours after the testing, that blood can go back to Brookings Health System,” he said. “We have an intricate system with Sanford and Avera, and Brookings is visited two times each day by the couriers.”

Debra Thomas, Director of Laboratory Services with Brookings Health System, said national blood shortages do have a local impact.

“There have been cases where somebody needs platelets, and we wouldn’t have that type right now, so there would be a delay in patient care, or O negative might not come in for a day or two, so we might be short,” she said. “The national shortage hasn’t impacted us immensely, thank goodness, but we have seen its effects.”

Thomas said from Jan. 1, through May 30 of this year, before the blood supply crisis was announced, 206 people received blood products at Brookings Health System via the Community Blood Bank. Brookings always keeps 40 units of blood on hand.

“The donations stay local,” Thomas said of donations to the Community Blood Bank. “It’s important that people donate to the community where they live. Who knows, it could be your friend or family member in need of a donation.”

What caused the blood shortage?
Versteeg said a driving force of the shortage is an aging generation becoming less likely to donate blood.

“As we start seeing the Baby Boomers continue to age, they are tending to be unable to donate due to medical conditions or taking certain medications that exclude them as donors,” he said.

“We utilized the Baby Boomer population as our base for a stable blood supply in the nation for many years, but as they age, we do not have enough donors behind them to keep a stable blood supply. We need to start seeing more of the population base ages 18 to 35 come up to support that need.”

Versteeg said technology advancements have resulted in decreased blood supply needs for some procedures like hip or knee replacement and even open-heart surgery, but emergencies will always require blood donations.

“We still need blood for traumas and emergency situations. With the baby boomers aging, and not enough younger people behind them to back them up, we will be in a serious blood deficit in the next ten years,” Versteeg said.

According to the Red Cross, other causes for the blood shortage include a drop in donations due to extreme heat, poor air quality and foodborne illness outbreaks, along with increased seasonal trauma demand between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

The blood donation process
Versteeg said people may be hesitant to donate blood for a couple of reasons.

“Years ago, the main reason was that people were never asked to donate or never had a friend or family who needed blood,” he said. “The fear of the needle is still a challenge for the younger population base, but if you’re used to getting labs drawn, you won’t have a problem. And if you’ve had a tattoo, that hurts more than donating blood.”

Donors can prepare for the process by eating a full meal within three hours and staying hydrated, he added. A sports drink with electrolytes prior to donating is helpful as well.

Versteeg said blood donation organizations are regulated by the FDA and American Association of Blood Banks to provide a standard donation process. An individual registers to donate, shows a photo ID, and has an interview during which a medical professional checks blood pressure, pulse, temperature and iron count. The donor completes a questionnaire and signs a consent form before blood is drawn.

“Within about seven minutes their donation is complete,” he said. “They can have a snack and a drink and rest in their chair for up to 10 minutes to ensure they are fully recovered. They might feel a bit fatigued that day and need extra fluids, so a full meal and hydration are encouraged. Within 24 hours, the body has replenished the fluid loss. Within 72 hours, the platelets have been replenished, and within 56 days, the red cells have been replenished.”

Peterson said the blood drive medical teams are skilled at helping donors feel at ease.

“It is a fairly easy process. When you walk out that door, you really feel a sense of accomplishment that you have contributed,” she said.

Blood donations have a limited shelf life and cannot be stockpiled, according to Versteeg. The red cells last 42 days; platelets last five days; and plasma can be frozen for up to one year. People can donate blood every 56 days.

Versteeg said donating blood has a personal side for him, and he encourages potential donors to focus on the patient or patients who will benefit.

“Think about the illness that they might be going through, and their family members that are connected, and how just that one donation of blood will provide so much hope to those family members as they are surrounding that patient requiring that transfusion,” he said. “I’ve been there to see a family member requiring that blood transfusion—my grandfather’s eyes just lit up again, and words can’t explain how you feel when you see this transformation from a family member feeling really under the weather to having energy again within a short time.”

Blood donation events in Brookings
The Community Blood Bank has a donation event set for Sept. 2, at the SDSU Student Union. Visit cbblifeblood.org to see the organization’s calendar. Donors may also visit the Community Blood Bank donor rooms in Sioux Falls on a walk-in basis.

Red Cross blood donation events are scheduled for Sept. 10, 2026, at First Lutheran Church, and Sept. 15 and 16 at SDSU. Visit redcrossblood.org for more information.