Students surround a large, red bus that rolled onto the Erb Memorial Union grass, phones in hand, some with gauze wraps around their arms.
Hoping to attract students, Bloodworks NorthWest, a Seattle-based blood bank with mobile clinics, arrived on the University of Oregon campus on Sept. 24 with the goal of collecting blood and providing students with the chance to download the organization’s new app.
UO alumnus Bill Harper, the Director of Communications for Degree 37 apps, is working to address a major blood shortage through the development and launch of this new app. With the use of technology, Harper has helped organizations reach a new desired group of donors: millennials.
“The targets of the app are millennials because millennials are not giving as much blood as needed,” says Harper. “Millennials are more eager than their parents to donate to their community, but they didn’t know how or where.”
Bloodworks Northwest launched the free app to provide individuals with information about donating blood, such as locations of donation buses, blood type and the community they would be helping, among many other features.
The Bloodworks mascot outside the Erb Memorial Union during the first week of fall term 2018. (Dana Sparks/Emerald)
But it’s not a mere coincidence that Harper started working with a blood bank. Harper is a leukemia survivor whose life was saved by blood transfusions after he became sick on a research trip to Senegal at the age of 20.
Years after his 267 blood transfusions, Harper donates blood to others and continues to get individuals to see not only the benefits of donating blood, but the imminent need for blood.
“I know the impact I have when I tell my story to other people, to get others involved in their own way,” said Harper. “It’s empowering for those who are sick themselves, have been sick or who are healthy.”
Harper said he felt the need to give back to Bloodworks Northwest after the help he received, and he recognizes the positive effects giving blood can have.
“All of this, to bring in millennials to fill in gaps for their parents,” he said.
What some students may not know is that the U.S. needs blood — badly. Baby boomers, who typically donate the most blood, are no longer donating as much. Both the American Red Cross and America’s Blood Centers, organizations that together represent virtually all U.S. blood banks, reported severe shortages of blood in 2018.
Both say the region’s blood supply is suffering a critical shortage, with the American Red Cross calling the shortage a blood “emergency.” Bloodworks Northwest said its supply of certain blood types has dwindled to a critical low of less than a human’s amount of blood per day.
With over 71 million millennials in the United States, an age group reliant on technology, there is some promise with the Bloodworks Donor App.
According to a recent Harris Poll, most millennials who don’t donate blood either don’t know how or where to donate. The app addresses both issues, helping potential young donors navigate through the intricacies of basic blood donation.
Justin Hong, a senior transfer student who stood outside the truck donating blood said the app has made him consider donating again in the future.
“I do think people would be definitely interested. I got [the app] the day I was informed… I’m just gonna keep my eyes open and wait for the next opportunity [to donate]. ”
Because of the health-conscious millennial community that is also technologically savvy, young individuals like Hong can be better equipped to regularly donate.
“I just really feel like it’s my responsibility and a duty as a healthy young man of this community [to donate blood],” Hong said. “ I think it’s just so funky that my blood could benefit someone who is in urgent medical needs.”
And with the first launch in the small community of Eugene, Oregon, the app is already picking up attention.
Hong said, “I heard that the truck was crazy busy when they were on campus, so hopefully people will follow up and become a somewhat regular donor.”
