Cathy Bryan Receives President’s Award from America’s Blood Centers

Santa Rosa, CA (April 13, 2010) Blood Bank of the Redwoods is proud to announce that CEO and President Cathy Bryan has received the President’s Award from our national trade association, America’s Blood Centers (ABC). Founded in 1962, ABC is North America’s network of non-profit community blood centers. ABC members provide nearly 10 million blood components (including red blood cells, platelets and plasma) to hospital customers annually.

The 13th Annual ABC Awards of Excellence includes nine categories ranging from most creative and productive blood drives to Corporation and Humanitarian of the Year. The President’s Award is awarded for Extraordinary Service on Behalf of its Members.

“It is my pleasure to inform you that the recipients of this year’s America’s Blood Centers President’s Award are a trio of distinguished people, who in very separate ways assured that hospitals get the reimbursement they need when blood costs rise faster than the rate of medical inflation,” announced ABC Chief Executive Jim MacPherson. “The amount of effort and patience was extraordinary as the path to accurate reimbursement is enormously complex. This was a major accomplishment that will assure hospitals are reimbursed in near real-time for new blood safety measures.”

Mr. MacPherson continued “...Cathy Bryan of Blood Bank of the Redwoods helped formulate and execute our successful legislative strategy on reimbursement. She was both passionate and dogged about assuring the job got done.”

The award was presented during the Awards of Excellence banquet on Monday evening, March 22, 2010, at ABC’s Annual Meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. “I was very honored to receive this award,” commented Cathy Bryan. “The pursuit of reimbursement for blood products benefited every hospital in the United States. I am happy to have played a role in America’s Blood Centers (ABC) strong and successful legislative efforts.”




Reaching Latino Donors by Dr. Carlos Garcia, M.D.

With our growing Latino population there will be a higher demand for blood donations. Population demographics show that Latinos make up >14% of US population yet less than 4% are blood donors. These ratios are even more disproportionate in Sonoma County where 22% are Latino but only 1-2% donate blood. This is especially critical since Latinos are the main group to have type O blood—and O negative is the “universal donor”. Furthermore, Latino blood carries rare antigens that are unique to this population and therefore important in saving lives when needed.

Latest studies show that nearly 60% of Latinos have type O blood, compared with about 45% of the general US population. Further breakdown shows that 71% of blood donors from Mexico; 62% of blood donors from Guatemala; and 54% from Venezuela are type O.

Unfortunately, there are many cultural/language barriers and immigration fears that limit the number of Latino blood donors. In addition there is a lack of understanding of how institutionalized blood donation works. Many Latin American countries do not have a “community blood supply” and donations are given during emergency situations when family members or friends need it.

We must further educate our Latino community regarding the safety and importance of blood donation and build a trusting relationship. By recruiting Latino community leaders and advertising, in their own language, in venues such as church, sports clubs, and with radio media, hopefully more donations can take place and more lives can be saved.

Dr. Garcia, a family physician, is a clinical director of Kaiser’s Clinica Santa Rosa and sits on the Latino Advisory Board for Blood Bank of the Redwoods.

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