Westerly Hospital has been recognized by the Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC) for hosting five successful blood drives during 2024, which yielded 175 donations and potentially could help save 525 lives.
A blood center spokesperson said the hospital also deserves kudos for supporting blood drives dating back to the 1970s.
Since 1979, the year the RIBC was first established, Westerly Hospital has been the host site for more than 9,000 blood donations, which means the hospital and those donors – including many employees – helped save more than 27,000 lives.
Westerly Hospital is the top blood drive sponsor in its part of Rhode Island, said Heather Hughes Robenhymer, a RIBC account manager.
“We’ve really come to count on Westerly Hospital over the years. Even during the pandemic, the hospital stepped up and continued to host drives,” she said. “They never let us down.”
In many cases, the donations end up back at Westerly Hospital.
“Patients all over the state should be grateful for the consistent efforts the staff, volunteers and Westerly area residents have made to support this vital lifesaving program,” she said.
More than half the donations at Westerly Hospital come from people in the community; the rest come from hospital employees. Keep up the good work by donating at an upcoming blood drive at the hospital: April 16, June 24, Aug. 27 and Nov. 26. Visit the Rhode Island Blood Center website, www.ribc.org, enter a zip code and schedule an appointment.
Today, technology has made it possible for many donors to hear from the people who receive their blood. Through a new program called “Thank the Donor,” a patient receiving a blood transfusion can scan a QR code on the bag and send a message to the donor.
“It’s the most direct way a donor can learn about who they’re helping,” Robenhymer said.
