Did you know that a single donation of blood can be used to help save the lives of up to three people? During Red Cross Month, the American Red Cross recognizes those who make lifesaving mission possible and celebrates Red Cress volunteers who step up to help people get the relief and care they need.
In a continuing effort to make a difference in the global community, we at Herbalife Nutrition are proud to partner with the American Red Cross and support their efforts to raise awareness of the importance of blood donations.
According to national survey conducted on behalf of the American Red Cross, there is a troubling disconnect between the public’s perception of blood donations and the realities of patient transfusion needs. We want to set the record straight with a few facts that show the truth about why it is so crucial people donate blood:
Fact 1: Only three percent of the U.S. population gives blood.
Blood donation is a public health matter that deserves our full attention. According to the American Red Cross, only three percent of the eligible U.S. population donates blood each year.
Thousands of patients rely on blood transfusions throughout their lives to stay healthy, but engagement from new blood donors has declined steadily for most of the past decade.
Since blood is perishable and cannot be artificially produced, the Red Cross needs all eligible individuals to roll up their sleeves and donate to help those in need.
Fact 2: A single donation of blood can save multiple lives.
Whenever you donate blood, you are helping someone in need during a critical, sometimes life-threatening, moment. Helping just one person makes giving blood a worthwhile effort, but what you might not know is that your one donation can actually be used to help save the lives of up to three people.
In other words, your small contribution can have a very big impact. In supporting the American Red Cross’ efforts, Herbalife Nutrition encourages our employees, distributors and members of our communities to participate in blood drives we host in our offices in Los Angeles. It is a simple process with a very rewarding outcome—the possibility to make a positive, life-changing impact on people in need.
Fact 3: Potential blood donors do not need to know their blood type before giving blood.
Don’t know if you’re A, B, AB or O? You don’t need to! More than half of the public believes it is necessary to know their blood type in order to donate blood but this is simply not true. After you give blood, the Red Cross will inform you of your blood type.
Fact 4: A third of the public has never considered that blood may not be available when a loved one needs it.
All kinds of people find themselves in need of a blood donation. An infant surviving the first moments of life, a parent undergoing a surgery to enable them to make it to their child’s wedding, or a soldier injured in war – every blood recipient’s story is a moving one.
However, survey results show that only a third of the public has considered the possibility that a friend or family member may one day be in need of a blood transfusion.
Blood transfusion is one of the most common hospital procedures in the U.S., yet, “never really thought about it” was cited in the American Red Cross’ survey as the primary reason that people do not give blood.
Fact 5: Someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds.
Engagement from new blood donors has declined steadily for most of the past decade, but the need for blood donations is as urgent as ever. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs a blood donation. This process usually takes about an hour of the donor’s time, from health check to a post-donation snack – and that donation can in turn save at least one person in need and help to fulfill the extraordinary demand for blood.
How to Get Involved
We all can make a difference in our communities and donating blood is an easy way to effect meaningful change. In today’s busy world, the opportunities to help someone so profoundly – in a way that literally saves lives – all while bringing diverse communities together in a unified effort, have become too few and far between.
Herbalife Nutrition and the American Red Cross encourage healthy donors to take advantage of one of the few opportunities where it costs almost nothing to give the most precious gift any of us have: life.
Find your nearest Red Cross blood drive and get ready to make a difference. To schedule an appointment, visit redcross.org or download the American Red Cross donor app.
Kent L. BradleyM.D., MBA, MPH – Chief Health and Nutrition Officer
Dr. Kent Bradley is the chief health and nutrition officer for Herbalife Nutrition. He is responsible for all nutrition and product training. Dr. Bradley is a retired Army colonel, graduate of the United States Military Academy. He holds a master’s in public health from the University of Minnesota, an Executive MBA from the University of Denver and a medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. He is board certified in public health and preventive medicine and holds a certificate in corporate governance from INSEAD. An avid enthusiast for staying active through a mix of team sports and outdoor activities, Dr. Bradley’s favorite products include Herbalife24® Rebuild Strength and Herbalifeline®.