Blood Donor Awareness Month uncovers easy way to save lives

January 7, 2016
Another holiday season is drawing to a close but the generosity does not have to
end when the Christmas decorations are put away and the leftovers diminish
because Jan. 1 marked the beginning of Blood Donor Awareness Month, giving
you a chance to continue participating in more selfless acts of giving just by
raising your sleeve. IU School of Medicine professionals say that blood donations
are a crucial part of recovery and survival for many, including the smallest of
patients preterm infants.
Neonatology is a critical care
specialty and anemia and
coagulation disorders are
frequent problems, said IU
School of Medicines Dr.
William Engle, Erik T. Ragan
Professor of Pediatrics and
Director of Clinical Affairs,
Section of Neonatal-Perinatal
Medicine. We use donated
blood products, including red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, platelets and
cryoprecipitate to treat such disorders in newborns.
Dr. Engle cited the four major components of blood that are transfused red
blood cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate. Some of these products are
able to be stored for future use, but platelets and red blood cells must be used
quickly, producing a vital need for consistent blood donations. Donors can
choose to give whole blood or opt for the donation of specific blood components.
Riley Hospital at IU Health is at a Level IV, the highest level of care designation
for a NICU. It uses donated blood and its components daily in its 60-bed neonatal
intensive-care unit.
Our faculty has developed guidelines for transfusions of preterm infants to
balance the benefits and risks of blood product transfusion, said Dr. Engle. The
guideline has been shared with other NICU directors in Indiana.
In addition to blood donation usage in Pediatrics and Neonatal-Perinatal
Medicine, IU School of Medicine Department of Pathology and Laboratory
Medicine holds a Blood Bank fellowship program accredited by the
Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) sponsored by
the Indiana Blood Center. It is a transfusion medicine fellowship with the center
offering comprehensive training at their facility as well as service and training at
IU School of Medicine. The program also offers exposure to adult and pediatric
transfusion services and cutting-edge processes involving cell therapy and

apheresis a process that separates blood into its different components as

well as donor center operations and physician management.
If you are searching for a simple way to give back to your community, donating
blood is a free opportunity to help save the lives of those around you. Blood
donations are not only important to premature babies, but also to many cancer
and leukemia patients, those receiving organ or bone marrow transplants, and
people with traumatic injuries and accidents just to name a few. Many of these
patients need multiple units of blood and it would be impossible for them to
receive the help they need in dire situations without access to donations.
IU School of Medicine and the Indiana Blood Center have worked together to
develop guidelines and protocols to best utilize the available and valuable blood
supply and avoid waste. Just one pint of blood can help up to three people and
many people are eligible to donate. To find out more about eligibility and how you
can raise your sleeve to help save lives visit www.indianablood.org or go to
www.donorpoint.org to schedule an appointment.