BLOOD DONATIONS

The genetic makeup of an African American blood donor is unique. Our southeastern Michigan region needs a more diverse blood donor pool. For certain patients in need of multiple blood transfusions, African American blood donors may be their best hope.

Every day of the year thousands of African American Blacks face a frightening emergency. They, of course, suffer from all of the same life-threatening Blood related situations that necessitate Blood transfusion and the introduction of Blood products as every other human in the world. The problem for African American Blacks in the United States is that there are a disproportionately large number of individuals with rare Blood types unique to that race. In our opinion, this is a very serious health risk in the African American Black community that must no longer be ignored.

Those who need a Blood transfusion require an exact match of certain Blood traits of the Blood donor with their own. Statistically, because these traits are inherited, a patient's most likely match is another family member. Unfortunately, over 70% of African American Blacks cannot find a Blood type match within their own families. They, therefore, require an unrelated individual willing to be tested and then to donate Blood. This is very simple in words, but when the reality of this acute need sets in, the order is, more often than not, too tall. The result is often fatal.

It is possible for an African American Black patient to match Blood types with a donor from any racial or ethnic group. However, the most likely transfusion reaction free Blood type match, and the least likely to be available, is an African American Black person. In every country in the world and with every individual in the world, the most compatible Blood transfusion is most likely to come from someone of the same ethnic, racial and genetic background as the patient.

The problem is likely to worsen. The African American Black population is outpacing the white population. More African American Blacks will need even more Blood in the future. Although more and more African American Black patients are finding Blood donors, the number is still appallingly less than with Caucasians. African American Black patients will continue to benefit from increasingly more African American Black individuals having their Blood tested, and then donating Blood.