The Life-Saving Power of Donating Blood

January is Blood Donor Awareness Month, which makes it the perfect time to highlight how donated blood supports patients across our community. At AtlantiCare, these donations play a key role in trauma care, surgery, maternity and many other moments when patients need help the most.

Giving blood is safe, takes about one hour and is one of the simplest ways to help others. It supports people in planned surgeries and emergencies. It also helps patients who need care every day, such as those being treated for cancer or babies who are born early.

We spoke with Kelly Willman, MD, FACS, Trauma Medical Director and Trauma Surgeon for AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center (ARMC) Atlantic City, a Level II Trauma Hospital and the only one in Southeastern New Jersey.

Dr. Willman shared how important each donation is. “Every pint given could represent a second chance for someone in need, from a cancer patient receiving platelets to a trauma patient in need of whole blood by paramedics on their way to the hospital,” she said. “When emergencies happen, donated blood helps emergency medical services teams (EMS) and doctors act fast and save lives when every second counts.”

At a trauma center like ARMC Atlantic City, things can move quickly. When someone is seriously injured, their body may lose blood faster than it can replace it. This is why having a reliable blood bank supply is so important.

As Dr. Willman explained, “When a patient comes in after a major injury, blood helps us take control of their care. It gives us time to stabilize them and figure out what they need next.”

Whole blood is especially helpful in trauma cases because it supports many parts of the body at once and according to Dr. Willman, early whole blood treatment has been shown to improve outcomes.

But trauma is only one part of the need. Inside the hospital, donated blood supports many patients. It helps mothers who lose blood during childbirth or patients having heart or joint surgery, or adults and children receiving cancer care. Trauma cases that use whole blood are only a small share of all patients, but they use a large part of the supply because they often need several treatments and surgeries. The need for donated blood is constant and shared across the hospital.

Each part of a blood donation supports patients differently. Red cells help carry oxygen. Platelets help blood clot. Plasma helps people who are in shock or recovering from illness. These pieces often go to patients who never step foot in the trauma bay, including newborns in the NICU and adults receiving cancer care.

Blood also has a short shelf life. Red cells last about 40 days and whole about 20. In a busy hospital, donated blood is used quickly. This means the supply must be refilled often.

If you’d like to give, contact the South Jersey Red Cross to find a blood drive or schedule a donation. One visit can help patients in trauma care, surgery, maternity and much more. It is a simple way to make a difference in your community.