Interns Learn About Blood Donations at Bloodworks

On Sunday, 12/22/19 at 10 AM, interns and parents from the Pathway Foundation participated in a tour at the Bloodworks Northwest Seattle Central Donor Center.

The tour was organized with help from Bloodworks staff Dr. Wu, Jackie, and Lisa. First, we listened to a quick presentation from Jackie about the history and basic information about donating blood. Then we went on the tour, led by Jackie and Lisa, where we split into two groups, one with interns, the other with parents. The parents were able to access the areas that had an age requirement.

We started off observing the physical process of donating blood. There we witnessed several donors who were currently in the act of donating. It was very interesting to learn about whole blood donations as well as blood donations where people can decide to specifically donate platelets, red blood cells, or plasma. Afterwards, we were guided throughout the facility to observe all types of equipment useful for blood donations, such as nitrogen tanks and blood freezers.

After the tour, we socialized with peers and Bloodworks staff. To conclude the visit, we ended with a meeting with Dr. Wu to discuss our plan for the partnership between Bloodworks and Pathway Foundations. In the end, the interns and parents were so inspired that a couple of us went to donate blood after the tour. This event was highly successful in educating the interns about donating blood and establishing a more solidified plan for fostering awareness within the community.

Written by Richard Yang