Only 2% of Alaskans donate blood each year, Blood Bank of Alaska says

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - January is National Blood Donor Month and according to the Blood Bank of Alaska’s website, one in seven people who go to the hospital will need blood.

Only about 2% of the state’s population donates blood — which is fewer than 15,000 people according to the 2024 census. The Blood Bank of Alaska is always looking for new donors.

“Which really strikes home the point of those people who are eligible to donate coming in and donating blood for their fellow Alaskans,” said Wes Dalgren, Director of Collections & Recruitment for the Blood Bank of Alaska.

According to Dalgren, about 38% of the population is eligible to donate. A person could be too young or even too old to donate, and there are travel restrictions and medications or medical conditions that could stop someone from donating.

“That’s a really small percentage of the population that’s sustaining the whole state,” Dalgren said. “And if the people who donate blood once a year donate it twice a year, there would never be an issue with having an adequate blood supply on the shelf.”

Dalgren says in a perfect world no one would ever need blood.

“But we don’t live in a perfect world,” said Dalgren. “Again, making sure there’s an adequate supply of blood on the shelf means that people have to take time out of their day to come in and donate to somebody that they’ve never met, and they’ll probably never meet.”

Dalgren recommends calling the Blood Bank to find out if you’re eligible.

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