Published by Kirby Winn on Monday, November 22, 2021 in News Releases
![Red blood cell units with Thank the Donor tag]()
After implementing its “Thank the Donor” program with hospitals earlier this year, ImpactLife has now seen more than 500 Appreciations sent from patients to blood donors. “Thank the Donor” is a tool that allows patients, their family members, and caregivers to send messages to the donor(s) who voluntarily donated their specific unit(s) of blood. ImpactLife implemented the program across its entire service region in January 2021, and it is now available at 126 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin.
HOW IT WORKS: TRANSFUSION RECIPIENTS COMMUNICATE ANONYMOUSLY THROUGH ONLINE PORTAL
In January 2021, ImpactLife began tagging units of blood with a green “Thank the Donor” tag, inviting transfusion recipients to send a message to the donor(s) who provided their specific unit(s) of blood. Patients (or family members or hospital staff) can scan the bar code on the unit of blood, directing them to an online portal where they can send messages of thanks and photos. The unit number allows staff at ImpactLife to route the message back through to the appropriate donor(s).
Communication is moderated by content curators at ImpactLife, where messages are reviewed to ensure all communication is anonymous. Once approved, the thank you message, called an Appreciation, is routed to the blood donor.
“Our donors love seeing the gratitude these patients have for donors, knowing these people selflessly helped a stranger,” said Lori Arguello, Marketing and Community Relations Manager. Arguello oversees the Thank the Donor program for ImpactLife. “Blood donations can help give families more time with each other and even help save lives. Hearing from these patients has been so inspiring for our team, too.”
The technology that powers Thank the Donor was initially developed by Oklahoma Blood Institute. For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org/thankthedonor.
DONORS NEEDED DURING WEEK OF THANKSGIVING AND THROUGHOUT HOLIDAY SEASON
ImpactLife seeks additional donors to support blood inventory needs during the week of Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season, a time when projections for blood donation are lower than needed. ImpactLife seeks to collect approximately 3600 donations every week to support a five- to seven-day supply of all blood components across its entire service region. ImpactLife projects an estimate of 2600 donations during the week of Thanksgiving, so additional donors are needed to keep pace with patient need.
Blood donations are often used to help treat patients with cancer, victims of trauma and patients undergoing major surgeries. All persons age 17 and up (or 16, with a signed parental permission form) who weigh at least 110 lbs. and are in general good health meet the basic eligibility requirements for blood donation. For more information, call ImpactLife at (800) 747-5401, visit www.bloodcenter.org, or download the IMPACT mobile app at www.bloodcenter.org/app.
“Thank You” to Donors: all receive voucher for ImpactLife donor T-shirt, gift card, and drawings
ImpactLife is pleased to offer all blood donors a gift as a special thank you. Everyone who registers to give blood through at ImpactLife donor centers or mobile blood drives will receive a voucher to redeem for a gift card or ImpactLife donor T-shirt. Additionally, during certain key weeks of the holiday season (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s), all who come to give will be automatically entered for a chance to be one of three weekly winners to receive a $500 gift card. (Learn more at www.bloodcenter.org/promotions.)
About ImpactLife
ImpactLife is a not-for-profit community organization providing blood services to 126 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as resource sharing partners across the country. Services extend from southcentral Wisconsin to St. Louis, Missouri and from Danville, Illinois to Chariton, Iowa. (See a map of the ImpactLife service region.) ImpactLife operates 20 Donor Centers and holds approximately 5000 mobile blood drives annually to provide blood components needed for patient transfusions at hospitals throughout our region.
ImpactLife recently announced its new name. For more information on the name change, see www.bloodcenter.org/impactlife. For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat.
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Note: for additional Thank the Donor graphics, see www.bloodcenter.org/thankthedonor.