January is National Blood Donor Month, marking a time of year when blood donations tend to drop off despite need remaining high

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) held a virtual roundtable on the urgent need to alleviate the blood supply shortage across Minnesota. Klobuchar was joined by representatives from the American Red Cross of Minnesota and Dakotas Region and Memorial Blood Centers in the Twin Cities, Rochester, Duluth, and Fargo.

“Hospitals rely on community donations for their blood supply, but right now Minnesota’s blood bank donations are at a 10-year low,” said Klobuchar. “The good news is that we can help solve this problem by donating blood and encouraging our loved ones to do the same. By coming together to tackle this blood shortage, we can make sure that our state’s medical professionals are able to continue their lifesaving work.”

January is National Blood Donor Month, marking a time of year when blood donations tend to drop off despite need remaining high. Minnesota’s blood banks report that donations have dropped 10% since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and the cold weather, busy schedules, and rise in coronavirus cases are making it difficult to regain the supply that’s been lost over the past two years. In some cases, hospital blood inventories have been reduced by 20%. One blood donation can save up to three lives.

Roundtable participants included Tonia Teasley, CEO, American Red Cross of Minnesota and Dakotas Region; Dr. Jed Gorlin, Medical Director and Vice President, Medical and Quality Affairs, Memorial Blood Centers; and Dr. Nancy Van Buren, Medical Director, Memorial Blood Centers; Dr. David Hamlar, Board Chair, American Red Cross of Minnesota and Dakotas Region – Twin Cities Chapter; Melanie Tschida, Executive Director, American Red Cross of Minnesota and Dakotas Region – Southeast Chapter in Rochester; Dan Williams, Executive Director, American Red Cross of Minnesota and Dakotas Region – Northern Minnesota Chapter in Duluth; Kevin Mehrer, Executive Director, American Red Cross of Minnesota and Dakotas Region – Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota Chapter in Fargo; Angela Engblom, Northland Component Services Manager for Memorial Blood Centers in Duluth; and Wendy Capetz, Director of Marketing and Development for Memorial Blood Centers.

# # #