Skip to the content Health and Human Services home page Organ Donation: Organ & Tissue Donation is a Family Decision.  Sharing your decision to become a donor is just as important as making the decision yourself. The Secretary's Donation Initiative
   skip navigation

Key Elements
Workplace Partnership for Life
List of Workplace Partners
Workplace Partner Stories
Sign-Up Form
Model Donor Card
3. National Forum on Donor Registries
Newsroom
Frequently Asked Questions
Grant Application Reference Center
Advisory Committee on Transplantation
Related Organizations
Related Web Sites
Donor / Recipient Stories
Current U.S. Facts
Glossary
Donation Logo
Organ / Tissue Donor Card
Organ and Tissue Donation Brochure

  
Secretary Thompson's Blood Donation Challenge - Give Thanks! Give Life! Give Twice!  


Give Thanks! Give Life! Give Twice!
U.S. Department
Of Health and Human Services
Secretary's Blood Donation Challenge

While sixty percent of Americans are eligible to donate blood, only five percent do. My friends, we can do better than that, and we will. Donating blood is a simple, safe, lifesaving, and selfless gift that millions of American heroes make every year. Please join me in becoming a regular volunteer blood donor.
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson

  • America's blood banks are facing a critical shortage of blood. Statement by HHS Secretary (1/13/2003)
  • Nearly 32,000 pints of blood — one every 2.7 seconds — are used in the U.S. every day.
  • U.S. blood supply reserves have been low for many years.
  • Shortages are now routine during the summer and winter months.

The Challenge: Significantly Increase the Nation's Blood Supply Reserve

To achieve a significant increase in the Nation's blood supply reserve, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson challenges all Americans to give thanks to all regular volunteer blood donors and encourages every qualified federal employee in the Nation to give blood twice a year or more.

The Goal: Raise the Donor Pool to 10 Percent of the Population

To raise the blood donor pool to 10 percent, Secretary Thompson chose Thanksgiving Week to issue a challenge to all the members of the President's Cabinet to participate in this initiative by supporting blood donation in their workplaces and by actively promoting blood donation in their departments. As Governor of Wisconsin, Secretary Thompson led a similar effort,"The Governor's Challenge," that resulted in a record increase in blood donations in that State.

In the spring, Secretary Thompson will expand this initiative to state and local governments and the private sector through the Workplace Partnership for Life of the Secretary's organ, tissue, marrow and blood donation initiative.

The challenge is issued in cooperation with
America's Blood Centers (not a U.S. Government Web site)
American Association of Blood Banks (not a U.S. Government Web site)
American Red Cross (not a U.S. Government Web site)

Meet the Secretary's Challenge: Give Thanks! Give Life! Give Twice!