Welcome back everyone.
Well, you've heard us talk about
this on new day a lot lately.
There is a blood donor shortage right now,
but did you know that race also
factors into which kind of blood
donors we need here to tell us more
about the specific need for black
blood donors is will Willis from the
American Red Cross welcome to new day?
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for having me.
This is such an important issue in general.
Just the need for donors in general, right?
But there is also a real need
for black donors.
Can you tell me a little bit about this?
Sure, sickle cell anemia is one
of the traits that falls into a
lot of the African Americans.
So over 100,000 from what they said.
So people have sickle cell and about
90% of that is African American,
so getting to African American
blood really helps out because
they need the blood transfusions.
It helps them out.
And there's a lot of things to do.
You can go out to redcross.org
and look it up and see exactly
what we're talking about.
I don't want to get into too many specifics,
but we need African American blood.
OK, and I know that partnerships with.
The black community are super critical
because you need to get the word
out and about what is divine. 9
Divine 9 is the organization of
historically Black College and
university sororities and fraternities.
So with those nine,
you have different cities.
They have the different groups and
I'm part of the Seattle chapter,
but there's Tacoma,
the one that my wife were part of,
so I helped them out because
I live in that area.
So the Tacoma Divine 9
is into the community,
so with them being in a community
they can reach the African Americans.
Feels as pretty much who they
have in their daily meetings,
right? And so this is just sort
of a way to talk to young people,
especially college age,
explaining what the need is.
And we know that with especially stories
and fraternities they can organize big
events and help out in that regard.
Most definitely most
sororities and fraternities.
They have a charter and that's to give
back to the community at their end.
So one of the things that we are
able to do is that we get the folks
highly excited about Red Cross so
they are doing blood drives. We do.
I think we're on set for four a month
that we're doing out of Tacoma chapter.
That's and we're just trying to get
the word out that we need that blood.
What? What do you think is at the crux of
not having enough black donors right now?
Is it different than other people
who are reticent about donating?
I believe it's a fear and
it's a fear of the unknown.
They really don't understand
that giving blood is a very
easy process is very safe,
and it's a great need,
and I believe that.
With the unknown,
people just don't really give
because they don't understand.
Yeah, do you remember your first time
giving blood? Was it scary for you?
Actually, I was stationed
at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
I'm prior military Air Force and
that's where I gave blood and
the guy had me laughing because
he said you're slow bleeder.
You do really well on the battlefield.
Do you know the same thing happened to
me the first time that I donated blood?
Oh yeah, it took a long time to it.
Took like 13 minutes for
me to donate my blood.
So it was like I was hanging on to it.
But it's such a.
Easy experience like not.
I think sometimes we get into our
heads about what it's going to be
and it's actually not that at all.
It's really simple.
It's not. I know some people
are scared of needles,
but they are super professional
when they come to do it,
they relax you they find the need,
the vein they make sure
they're doing everything.
The right way is very clean
and easy procedure.
Minutes later you're done
and you're sitting around.
You eat the snacks because
they give you snacks.
One of the best parts of the snacks. And then
after that you just know that you
did well and when I gave blood here,
I did give some this past Saturday,
but last year I gave blood.
They actually sent me an e-mail
telling me that my blood was
used and somewhere in Portland
area they didn't give me a name.
I did not need a name but I just had
a great feeling to understand that my
blood was used pretty much immediately.
Yeah, and and once you know that it it how?
How could you not want to do it again?
Exactly. So what can people do to help?
Obviously people can go donate blood,
but what can other people?
To to help in this endeavor and
encourage people to give it a try.
Have the conversation,
and it's pretty much knowing that there's
a need and the African American community.
We need it drastically right now.
Only 3% of African Americans donate blood and
we make a 13% of the population in America.
So there is a very disadvantaged
right there that we need to address.
And if you cannot give blood for some reason,
another find somebody that would.
Do we always encourage people
to find a brother, sister,
cousin, whomever.
And asked them to donate on your behalf.
We just need the blood.
That's a great idea.
Donate on someone else's behalf.
Yeah, love that.
Thank you so much for being here.
This is such important information
and take it from us even if it
takes a little bit longer for you
to donate your blood, it's worth it.
And it's not a scary thing
in the long run exactly.
Thank you will thank you again if
you would like to learn more about
how you can help in donating blood,
please visit redcrossblood.org.