Local Red Cross addressing national blood shortage

by Nathan Boddy

There is no perfect substitute for human blood. This one fact might give anyone pause when considering the proportional value of blood donation, especially given the fact that blood can only be used up several weeks after donation. In January of this year, the Red Cross, which provides 40% of the nation’s blood, declared the first ever “blood crisis” during the Omicron surge. According to the American Red Cross, blood donations in the United States have declined 10% since March of 2020, with a 62% drop in high school and college drives. 

“It’s so bad that hospitals are actually prioritizing blood,” says Phlebotomist, Aaron Wise, who was recently in Hamilton for one of their regular blood drives. Luckily, says Wise, supplies in Montana and Idaho generally remain fairly stable in comparison to most of the country. The blood drive in Hamilton was a good example.  “We’ve been pretty full,” he said.

The Red Cross makes multiple visits to Ravalli County every month, and is usually in the City of Hamilton five or six times, at several locations. The blood that it collects is in such high demand that a good portion of it actually goes to shortage areas out of state.

Wise says that he loves his job, and that he understands the need for blood donors. As a younger man he had a form of pediatric leukemia and himself received blood transfusions.  

“I was always intrigued by the phlebotomist,” he says. “I’d ask a thousand different questions.” After finding himself drawn toward healthcare as a profession, Wise says that he settled on a job that would be fun and satisfying while allowing him to travel around. He adds that he has a good team and and it does help being a “people person.”

Indeed, Wise makes easy conversation while doing his job, confidently managing the various vials, tubing, gauze, and of course, the needle. The whole process takes less than ten minutes.

He states that the current national shortage has undoubtedly stemmed from the Covid pandemic and a national concern over safety, but Wise adds that it might also be from a shift in norms that tend not to value donations quite the way older generations did.  

“We need a lot of people donating,” he says while labeling a fresh new pint. “And, it’s good karma if you ever need blood.”