Recognizing Our Blood Bank during National Blood Donor Month

January 15, 2024
Six colleagues from South Shore Health's blood bank pose for a photo.
L-R: Blood Bank Lab Technologists Julianne Hicks, Payton Ribeiro, Deborah Cavallo, and Paula Wonson with Laboratory Services Secretary Carol Basford and Blood Bank Supervisor Hassan El-Alami

January is National Blood Donor Month, an ideal time to spotlight the life-saving efforts of South Shore Health’s Blood Bank, which ensures safe transfusions through blood typing and cross-matching, stores and manages our blood inventory, and provides essential support during emergency situations.

Many of our patients require blood transfusions, including those undergoing cancer treatment, transplant recipients, trauma patients, newborns and their mothers, surgery patients, and more.

Along with assuring a safe and stable blood supply for these patients, our Blood Bank works closely with the Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC) to coordinate and promote local blood drives in our community.

By partnering with the RIBC, one of the largest community-based, non-profit blood collection and distribution organizations in the United States, South Shore Health was able to facilitate 167 successful donations last year, helping to save up to 501 lives in 2023 alone.

As we begin 2024, we salute our Blood Bank colleagues for safeguarding patient well-being and sustaining a reliable blood supply for both our patients and community. We also encourage anyone who is able to give blood at an upcoming blood drive.

Donating blood only takes one hour and each donation can save up to three lives. Consider donating today!