Vitalant

Generosity comes in many forms. Some people are driven by the chance to make a direct impact on someone’s life. Others are inspired by supporting their community, finding personal fulfillment, or leading by example for others. This November, we’re reflecting on what motivates us to give back and how small acts of generosity can create meaningful change. We’d love to hear from you: what motivates you to serve?

The energy she brings? Lifechanging. The impact? Unforgettable. Bonnie has been a dedicated blood donor since the early 1990s, but this past year, she took her commitment to the next level by volunteering with Vitalant. At our large blood drives, she connects with donors, spreads encouragement, and helps make lifesaving moments possible. Working closely with our team, Bonnie has become a familiar face at multiple major events. She’s not only a passionate advocate for blood donation, but she also continues to give platelets regularly, demonstrating that true impact comes from both giving time and giving life. Inspired by Bonnie? You can make a difference too. Join us as a volunteer and help create unforgettable impact: vitalant.org/Volunteer

Honoring Heroes on National First Responders Day. Today, we celebrate the courage, skill, and dedication of the first responders who are there for us in our most critical moments. Thanks to incredible partnerships in select cities with fire departments, emergency medical services agencies and hospitals, prehospital blood transfusions are now saving lives before patients even reach the hospital. This groundbreaking capability means lifesaving blood reaches severely injured patients minutes faster, giving them a fighting chance before they ever reach the emergency room. It's one more way your vital blood donation can help save lives. Together, we’re turning every response into a chance for survival. #FirstRespondersDay #PrehospitalBlood #TraumaCare

Behind every transfusion is someone like Vincent who never stops showing up. As a Vital Elite donor, Vincent has given an incredible 50 gallons (about 400 donations) over the years. His platelet donations have helped countless patients heal, recover, and keep fighting. Dedicated donors like Vincent make lifesaving moments possible every single day. Join the Vital Elite and commit to saving lives at vitalant.org/VitalElite.

We're excited to announce Vitalant's participation in the AABB 2025 Annual Meeting, taking place in San Diego from October 25 to 28. Our broad involvement underscores our unwavering commitment to scientific excellence and advancing the critical fields of transfusion medicine and biotherapies. Here’s a snapshot of where you can find us: ✅ Education Sessions: Our team members will be featured speakers in 13 education sessions, with 16 individual presenters sharing vital knowledge with the global community. ✅ Research & Abstracts: Vitalant research will be prominently featured, including 23 scientific posters, 11 oral abstracts and 2 plenary papers. ✅ Biotherapies Pavilion: Demonstrating our strategic focus on the future, we'll be a key participant in the Biotherapies Pavilion, highlighting our growing role in supporting lifesaving cellular and gene therapies. We look forward to connecting, collaborating, and discussing the future! #AABB2025 #TransfusionMedicine #Biotherapies #CellularTherapy #MedicalResearch

The simplest question can create the biggest change: “Will you come with me?” Phoenix and Sofia didn’t just donate. They inspired friends to become blood donors and helped ensure patients have access to lifesaving blood when it’s needed most. Many people say they’ve never donated simply because no one asked. You could be the reason someone starts today. For every new donor you refer who keeps their appointment, you’ll receive a $10 gift card as a thank you. Refer a friend. Track your impact. Get started: vitalant.org/ReferAFriend

Our Biotherapies team is back from #MeetingOnTheMesa last week, and they are that much more motivated to help advance lifesaving cell and gene therapies!   Becky Cap presented how our team helps innovators overcome real-world hurdles in cell collection, processing, testing, and clinical delivery. The team, which includes Robert Van Tuyle, Brianna Schoen, Robert Marriott and Christie Loe Malone, was also able to talk about our role, leveraging our widespread community infrastructure to deliver solutions for patients in our communities. Vitalant fills gaps between hospitals, developers, and patients, and our broad range of services is available across a wide geography under a single contract.    The team was moved by the touching patient stories shared and impressed with the meeting’s focus on expanding therapies into communities as indications and patient populations grow.   Want to learn more? Reach out at biotherapies@vitalant.org

Some people retire. Dave just changed how he serves his community. He began donating whole blood back in the late seventies, added regular platelet donations in the eighties, and hasn’t slowed down since. After retiring, Dave became a volunteer hospital services driver with Vitalant in 2016, making sure lifesaving blood products reach the patients who need them most. With 15 years of service as a Reserve Deputy with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Dave knows the importance of stepping up for his community. “Being a volunteer is something I have done most of my life,” he says. Thank you, Dave, for showing us what service looks like. If you want to make a difference too, volunteer with Vitalant and support our lifesaving mission. Find opportunities near you: vitalant.org/volunteer

Joshua has seen firsthand how powerful blood donation can be in saving lives. He’s been part of Vitalant for 2 years, helping donors make a difference. But a few months ago, he experienced that impact in the most personal way. Shortly after giving birth to their baby girl, Joshua’s wife began hemorrhaging. She was losing blood fast. Thanks to a timely blood transfusion, her life was saved. Situations like this happen in about 1 out of every 83 childbirths. Want to work where your impact is vital? ➡️ vitalant.org/careers

When your purpose is saving lives, it doesn’t stop at a job change. After 18 years with Vitalant, Rhonda’s passion for blood donation didn’t end when she moved into her role as Volunteer Services Manager at her local hospital. It grew even stronger. Now, she coordinates quarterly blood drives for hospital employees and leads their annual “Rock ’N Roll Up Your Sleeve” event every June, complete with fun flair and lifesaving results. “I’ve seen the need for blood on both a personal and professional level,” she says. “It’s the blood already on the shelves that saves lives.” This Blood Drive Coordinator Appreciation Week, we’re celebrating Rhonda and all the coordinators who turn passion into purpose and help make every donation possible. Learn more about becoming a blood drive coordinator: vitalant.org/BloodDrive