This content is sponsored by Inova Health.
Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood.
For 60 years, Inova Blood Donor Services has been the sole supplier of blood products to the Inova Health System, as well as more than a dozen other hospitals and medical centers in the Washington metropolitan region.
Blood donations help to treat a variety of illnesses and conditions and are critical for routine surgeries and mass casualty events alike.
The need never ends
“You really want to think of blood products as like milk. Blood actually has a shelf life,” said Nicholas Lilly, senior director of Inova Blood Donor Services.
For example, red blood cells used for transfusions expire after 42 days outside the body. Platelets, which are critical for patients undergoing cancer and other treatments, have a shelf life of five days.
“At our main hospital, hundreds of surgeries take place each day,” Lilly said. “Having a little bit extra can make the difference.”
Whole blood — which contains red cells, white cells and platelets — can be donated every 56 days or up to six times per year.
Who can be a donor?
Each time someone donates whole blood, they can help save more than two lives.
And there is really only one hurdle when it comes to blood donation in our area: In Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, the law requires that donors be 16 years of age with parental consent. There is no upper age limit, and most common medical conditions such as diabetes or asthma are not disqualifying.
Donating blood takes about one hour from start to finish, Lilly said. The process includes a health questionnaire, a blood pressure check during a mini-health screening, the blood collection, and a short rest and refreshments once the donation is complete.
Donated blood travels to a facility where the white blood cells are removed and the remaining components are separated into red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Medical teams typically prescribe one or more of those when a patient needs a transfusion.
A few ways to help with blood donations
Over the past 10 years nationwide, there’s been a slight decrease in the number of high-school-aged students donating or taking part in blood drives. But there are many opportunities to change that, especially for students looking to accrue volunteer hours.
Volunteers can help sign people up as they walk in or can be blood drive volunteer coordinators who help ensure that the proper information is shared with the community at large.
“We do rely on volunteer coordinators within the community to allow us the opportunity to come to their various places of work, their places of worship, their schools,” Lilly said. And Inova will train volunteers and work around individual schedules.
“There are many different things that you have to do in order to take a blood drive to success,” he added.
Inova aims to collect at least 30 donors per blood drive and also encourages a diverse donor population.
“This area is very diverse, and likewise, our donor population should be as well,” Lilly said.
Currently, just over 12% of the blood donor population is considered a minority group. Blood products from people of like cultures are sometimes more effective for an individual.
“You just have to say to yourself, ‘I’m going to be here to help the other person within my group,’ ” Lilly said.
Learn more about blood donation
“We’d love to connect with you, and we are constantly looking for people within the community to take part,” he said.
And if you’re nervous about needles, “this small prick is nothing compared to what someone on the other end is going through that needs your generous donation,” Lilly said. So, while you might feel a bit skittish, he added, remember that you are truly serving a greater good.
To find a blood donation location, or for questions or concerns about donor eligibility, call 866-256-6372 or visit to the Inova Blood Donor Services website. And discover additional tips and tactics to get on top of your health on WTOP.