HOT TOPIC Discussion: Building Diversity in the Blood Donor Pool to Meet the Needs of Patients (21EL-688) – Free for AABB Individual Members!

Please note: AABB reserves the right to make updates to this program.

• Program Description

  As the country experiences historic blood shortages, those in need of chronic transfusion are particularly vulnerable. Even during times of adequate blood supply, donations from diverse populations of donors may be inadequate to meet the transfusion needs of patients with conditions such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia. A strategic approach and understanding of how to reach donors with diverse backgrounds in their own communities will be critical to this effort. Success will go beyond raising awareness and recruiting donors; building and maintaining trust and ensuring that donors of color understand the importance of their regular donations to individuals with shared heritage are also essential to maintaining momentum.

  Join us on this program to better understand the unique transfusion challenges facing the sickle cell and thalassemia populations, learn proven strategies for gaining and retaining African American and other donors of color, and find out about free resources available to aid you in your efforts.

  An extended Q&A period will follow presentations to give the audience an opportunity to join the discussion.

  Moderator: Yvette M. Miller, MD, ABIHM, Executive Medical Officer, American Red Cross, Donor and Client Support Center
  Speakers:

  • Rae Blaylark, President & CEO, Sickle Cell Foundation of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; Principle Consultant, Raise Hope Consulting, Minneapolis, MN; Sickle Cell Community Liaison, Children's Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
  • Stella T. Chou, MD, Distinguished Chair in Pediatrics, Chief, Division of Transfusion Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
  • Yvette M. Miller, MD, ABIHM, Executive Medical Officer, American Red Cross, Donor and Client Support Center

  Learning Objectives

  After participating in this educational activity, participants should be able to:

  • Discuss the unique transfusion challenges facing the sickle cell and thalassemia populations.
  • Identify proven strategies for gaining and retaining African American and other donors of color.
  • Identify free resources available to aid you in your efforts to gain and retain African American and other donors of color.

  Continuing Education Credit

  AABB designates both the live and on-demand version of this program each to be eligible for 1.25 continuing education credits/contact hours for California Lab Personnel, Florida Lab Personnel and General Participation credit. The final number of credit(s) and credit types awarded for this program (live or on-demand) was determined by the program duration. For more information on each credit type please visit our Continuing Education Credits webpage. Please note: California Nurse and continuing education credits for physicians are not available for this program.

  Disclosures for the program faculty are provided at the beginning of the program.

  Register