Blood donations dip about 25% during holidays

Sometimes it can feel like you’ve got a thousand things on your mind during the holiday season.

That’s one reason blood donations drop by about 25 percent during the holiday season historically, according to Bloodworks Northwest, a blood bank based in Seattle. That can result in low blood supplies at hospitals.

“The holiday season is hard,” said Kara Lewis, program manager of community engagement with Bloodworks Northwest. “People are on vacation so they aren’t coming in to donate regularly.”

Bloodworks serves patients in more than 100 hospitals in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. Legacy Salmon Creek and PeaceHealth Southwest medical centers confirmed they currently have adequate blood supplies, but PeaceHealth spokesman Randy Querin said in an email that supplying blood during the holidays can help keep the supply stocked into the new year.

The Seattle-based blood bank has collaborated with Partner’s Crackers out of King County to give each donor in December a box of gourmet crackers.

“It’s really helped bring in donors,” Lewis said. “It’s not a huge giveaway, but it’s a nice way to say thank you.”

That offer is for anyone who donates at mobile Bloodworks units in the area, and the Vancouver donor center, 9320 N.E. Vancouver Mall Dr., Suite 100.

Lewis said that since it’s the season of giving, donating blood is a nice, easy way to “help keep people alive.”