After the reorganization, our donations went from an annual average of about 300 units to a credited total of 1,521 in 1995. This would not have happened without the leadership provided by our employees who serve on the Blood Drive Committee, our employee donor recruiters and the donors themselves. Senior management's outstanding commitment to the Blood Program has also played a pivotal role in its success. VBS is dedicated to the mission of providing a reliable blood supply to help save the lives of patients in our community hospitals. That's one every twelve seconds.
Cancer patients are the largest users of blood components.
People of all ages who are undergoing organ transplants, open heart surgery, hip replacements or surgery for accident injuries are other examples of why blood donations are so vital. A special need also exists for O-negative blood type. When newborn babies need blood, they need type O-negative. They also need fresher blood than other patients. Most adults can use red cells that are up to 42 days old, but babies need blood less than a week old.