NASHVILLE, TN — During Black History Month, Blood Assurance is highlighting the life-saving role African American blood donors play in caring for local patients, especially those living with sickle cell disease, who depend on closely matched blood to survive.
Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the world. In the United States, it primarily affects people of African descent. Many patients require frequent and ongoing blood transfusions, sometimes for their entire lives. Blood from donors of the same racial or ethnic background is often the best match, helping reduce complications and improve patient outcomes.
For many African American families, long-standing gaps in access to health care translate into higher rates of chronic illness and worse outcomes. Public health experts warn these disparities are especially dangerous for patients who depend on regular, ongoing treatment, where even small delays can have serious consequences.
Nearly one in three African American donors is a potential match for a sickle cell patient, yet African Americans represent only a small fraction of the nation’s blood donors. This imbalance creates real risks for patients who depend on frequent transfusions, leaving them more vulnerable during both routine care and emergency situations.
Blood Assurance is working to help close that gap by building trust, expanding outreach, and engaging directly with communities to increase awareness of the life-saving impact a diverse donor base has on local patients.
“Trust is essential,” said Lorean Mays, African American and Sickle Cell Initiative Manager for Blood Assurance. “People deserve to know where their blood goes and how it is used. At Blood Assurance, donations support patients in the hospitals right here in our communities. For individuals living with sickle cell disease, access to closely matched blood can mean the difference between stability and crisis.”
As a nonprofit community blood center, Blood Assurance is the primary blood supplier for most hospitals in Middle Tennessee. When donations decline, local hospitals feel the impact quickly. For sickle cell patients, a consistent and reliable blood supply is not optional. It is critical to pain management, complication prevention, and survival.
Throughout Black History Month, Blood Assurance is encouraging community members, churches, fraternities and sororities, civic organizations, and local businesses to partner in strengthening the local blood supply and supporting patients who depend on it.
To thank donors, Blood Assurance is offering the following incentives:
• Donors who give between February 15 and February 28 will be entered to win a $100 e-gift card.
• Seven winners will be selected, with one winner from each community Blood Assurance serves.
Appointments are encouraged, but not required. To schedule a donation, visit www.bloodassurance.org/schedule, call 800-962-0628, or text BAGIVE to 999777.
To be eligible to donate, individuals must be at least 17 years old, or 16 with parental consent, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in good general health. Donors are encouraged to eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of fluids before donating.
Blood Assurance is a nonprofit, full-service regional blood center serving more than 70 health care facilities in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky and North Carolina. Founded in 1972 as a joint effort of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society, the Chattanooga Area Hospital Council and the Chattanooga Jaycees, the mission of Blood Assurance is to provide a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood components to every area patient in need.
