Blood donations come full circle Published March 12, 2014 By Staff Sgt. Nathanael Callon 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- People who live and work on Altus Air Force Base will have the chance to donate blood March 14, 2014 at the chapel activities room from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The Oklahoma Blood Institute hopes to receive 40 units of blood from the Altus AFB community. The donated blood will be distributed to more than 140 medical facilities in Oklahoma that rely on blood drives like these to restock their inventories. Donors typically get a gift for donating blood, but this month, in conjunction with Global Blood Fund Month, the OBI will make a donation on their behalf towards blood centers in underdeveloped countries. People interested in donating can show up at the chapel and will be screened for blood pressure, iron levels and temperature, and must complete a questionnaire determining eligibility to donate. There are two types of donation options available--whole blood and red blood cells. The whole blood donation is what most people think of when it comes to donating blood. The blood travels through an intravenous needle into a collection bag, which is filled and then processed. The red blood cell donation differs from whole blood. "We call the red blood cell process 'Double Red.' It's a process where whole blood is taken out and the red blood cells are separated with the remaining fluid being reinserted into the body," said U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Erica Buckley, who is the base blood drive coordinator. "What happens is the donor ends up giving two concentrated units of red blood cells instead of one bag of whole blood." This option is commonly used for emergency patients with excessive blood loss due to trauma or surgery. One recent change to the blood drive is the added memorandum of agreement between Altus AFB and the OBI, where the base actually receives credit for the units they donate. Since the medical clinic on base does not have resources or a need for maintaining a blood supply, credits are given instead. Every five units of blood donated turns into one credit earned. The clinic may exchange credits for blood products for other military treatment facilities that have an active blood program. After consulting with the Air Force Blood Program office, Buckley began updating the outdated memorandum so that the base could donate the credits they earn. "They want us to give Air Force and DOD facilities a chance to accept the credits first, but if they are unable to use the credits, we could donate to a civilian facility like Jackson County Memorial Hospital in Altus, where most people stationed here would go if they had an emergency," said Buckley. According to the memorandum, the hospital in need may select from a number of blood services in exchange for credits, including red blood cells, platelets, plasma and blood. "My goal is to donate our credits to a hospital in need every quarter. I would really like to see other hospitals benefit from this agreement," said Buckley. This is only possible through continued donations from donors on base, so Buckley encourages even those with phobias of needles or blood. "You don't have to watch," said Buckley, who is a Clinical Laboratory Scientist by trade. "It's not a painful procedure--maybe a little uncomfortable--but the benefits far outweigh the negative." Buckley also stated that most of the blood donated on base could end up back in Altus after it is processed. One unit of blood can save up to three lives, and blood donations are needed on a regular basis. "There is a shortage of blood supply across the U.S.," she said. "The very blood you donate could be the unit that saves the life of someone you love."