Vitalant

Ally and Sasha are turning awareness into action. They’re speaking up about the constant need for blood donation and the patients who depend on it every day, from cancer and trauma care to sickle cell disease, and support for babies and mothers. Advocacy isn’t just about donating. It’s about using your voice to educate, encourage and bring others with you. Join them. Become an advocate: vitalant.org/Advocacy

Trauma transfusion continues to evolve and conversations grounded in research and real world implementation matter more than ever.   Join Vitalant and THOR on May 22 at 12 PM ET / 9 AM PT for a journal club style discussion examining the recently published SWiFT trial, Study of Whole Blood in Frontline Trauma.   Courtney K. Hopkins, D.O., vice president and corporate medical director at Vitalant, will join fellow experts in trauma and transfusion medicine to explore the trial’s findings, clinical interpretation, and what they could mean for whole blood implementation across prehospital and hospital settings.   The panel will discuss study design, strengths and limitations, and practical considerations shaping the future of trauma care. Hear the conversation shaping the future of trauma transfusion: https://lnkd.in/e9PJ5bqe   Featuring: Jason Smith, M.D. Andrew (Andre) Cap, M.D., Ph.D. Courtney Hopkins, D.O. Ryan A. Metcalf, MD, CQA(ASQ) Moderated by Phil Spinella, M.D.

Not every superhero wears a cape. Some wear hospital bracelets and call chemotherapy “strong juice.” At 3 years old, Matthew is fighting B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with a courage most adults would struggle to carry. His days now include blood and platelet transfusions, feeding tubes, and intensive treatments, but he still calls himself “dino strong.” His mom says blood donors gave their family more time, more memories, and more moments they weren’t sure they’d have. “Blood saved our son’s life over and over again.” Matthew is now entering another difficult phase of treatment that will require even more support from donors ready to step up when patients need them most. A single donation can help patients facing cancer, trauma, surgeries, and other medical emergencies every day. Support patients like Matthew, schedule your next donation at vitalant.org and visit vitalant.org/Advocacy to find even more ways to support patients in need.

She sees the need for blood every day in the ICU. Then she stepped into the donor chair herself. During National Hospital Week, we’re celebrating people like Rachael who care for patients far beyond the bedside. As an ICU team member, she’s witnessed how vital blood donations can be during some of the hardest moments patients and families face. That’s why she chose to give a Power Red donation, helping provide more red blood cells for patients who need ongoing or massive transfusion support. From the hospital floor to the donation center, Rachael is helping make sure lifesaving care is ready when patients need it most. Schedule your donation today: vitalant.org

What students learn from him goes far beyond the lesson plan. During Teacher Appreciation Week, Mike stands out for what happens outside the classroom just as much as inside it. In the classroom, he helps students navigate challenges and build confidence they carry into the real world. On the field, he reinforces teamwork and accountability. And through the blood drives he leads with the National Honor Society, he shows them what it means to step up for others when it matters most. For four years, students have watched leadership in action. Not just taught, but lived. Blood donations are needed every day for patients facing surgery, trauma, and complex conditions. One appointment can provide vital support to people in critical moments. The impact does not start with a donation. It starts with someone willing to lead. Learn more and get started: vitalant.org/HostADrive

Some kids see nurses as the people who walk into the room with medicine. Jaziel saw something bigger. During his fight against leukemia, he received 134 blood transfusions while being treated on a pediatric oncology unit. Years later, he returned to that same unit as a Pediatric Hematology & Oncology nurse caring for children facing the battles he once lived himself. He remembers what it felt like stepping off that elevator as a patient. Now he’s the one helping families navigate fear, exhaustion, hope and recovery. “Yes, it’s emotionally and physically exhausting,” Jaziel says. “But my patients have such a zest for life. Knowing they’re giving it their all gives me the energy to give my all.” This National Nurses Week, we’re celebrating nurses whose care changes lives long after patients leave the hospital. And we’re celebrating blood donors who helped make Jaziel’s future possible. Today’s blood donation could help save a life. It could also help shape who someone becomes because they survived. Support futures like Jaziel’s. Schedule your next donation at vitalant.org and find other ways to support those relying on transfusions at vitalant.org/Advocacy.

Trauma care is shifting upstream, delivering lifesaving blood to patients in hemorrhagic shock before they ever arrive at the hospital. At the Economics of Prehospital Blood Conference, national leaders gathered to address a critical challenge: creating sustainable funding models that make prehospital blood transfusions possible at scale. Vitalant contributed to conversations shaping that future, including participation from Courtney K. Hopkins, D.O., vice president and corporate medical director at Vitalant, who joined discussions focused on increasing the blood supply needed to support growing prehospital transfusion programs. Jennifer Rataj, vice president of market development for Vitalant, also attended the conference as leaders across EMS, trauma medicine, transfusion services, and policy explored the future of prehospital blood access. As more EMS systems adopt whole blood and other prehospital blood strategies, scaling those programs requires more than clinical success alone. It demands sustainable blood availability, operational coordination, reimbursement pathways, and strong partnerships across healthcare systems. Blood centers like Vitalant are playing an increasingly important role in that work, helping strengthen the infrastructure behind emergency and trauma care long before a patient reaches the hospital.

She kissed her newborn, then went straight into surgery. During a high risk pregnancy, a rare and life threatening complication turned delivery into an immediate medical emergency. Trish lost an extraordinary amount of blood and required massive transfusion support to survive. In the hours that followed, and across multiple surgeries over the next two years, she relied on the generosity of nearly 100 blood donors she would never meet. Today, she is home with her family and raising her children because those donations were there when nothing else was enough. “Each day, I reflect in appreciation over the many, many people who sat in a chair and gave selflessly in order to save my life,” Trish said. “Because of them, I get to see my kids grow up. For the person sitting in that chair, it might be 10 minutes of their time, but to me it’s everything.” Behind every donation is a moment like this. A family staying whole. A future continuing. Learn more about how blood donations can support mothers in their time of need and schedule your donation: https://lnkd.in/g568W-7J

San Diego Blood Bank has built a remarkable legacy of serving donors, hospitals and patients with dedication and care. Today, we’re honored to officially welcome them as a subsidiary of Vitalant.   Our new logo for San Diego Blood Bank represents more than a new look. It reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the future of transfusion medicine and expanding what’s possible for the communities we serve together.   By combining our organizations, we are creating a stronger and more connected network that helps: 🩸 Strengthen the resiliency of the blood supply. 🔬 Expand access to specialized laboratory services and transfusion therapies. 🧪 Advance innovation through stronger connections within Southern California’s biotech community. 🤝 Enhance donor engagement, manufacturing, distribution capabilities and precision medicine through shared expertise.   Most importantly, this partnership is rooted in people. The donors who give generously. The teams who work tirelessly behind the scenes. The patients and families counting on access to lifesaving care every day.   We’re grateful to San Diego Blood Bank for their partnership and proud of what we will build together.

Stacy was preparing to welcome twins. Then everything changed. A sudden pregnancy complication at 27 weeks put her life and her babies’ lives at risk. In the middle of the emergency, doctors relied on multiple blood and platelet transfusions to keep fighting for all three of them. For patients facing severe bleeding, cancer treatment, traumatic injuries, or complicated deliveries, blood products are often needed immediately. There is no substitute, and there is no time to wait. Today, Stacy is home watching her children grow because donors made sure care teams had what they needed before the emergency ever happened. Every donation. Every gift. Every person who chooses to help can become part of someone’s survival story. Support the Vitalant Foundation and help ensure lifesaving blood is ready for the next patient who can’t wait: vitalant.org/MothersDay