Blood Donation In Bakersfield CA Changes Local Lives One Donation Every Day

You Usually Don't Understand Until It Becomes Personal

Most people don't start thinking about becoming a blood donation in Bakersfield CA until someone they love needs it. That's when you get asked to come along to the hospital a donation is made before you have a chance to ask questions, and you leave knowing you never want to stop wondering where it goes until you find yourself sitting back in that donation chair at Houchin Community Blood Bank . You see that bag slowly filling and you're no longer surprised to find out that it goes to help patients right here in Kern County, and not some other hospital you've never heard of across the country.

The Feeling Is Different When You Know It Stays Here

Look, that's what makes Houchin Community Blood Bank different, they've been collecting blood for local hospitals since 1951 and every donation stays here in the county.

Donating to them won't disappear some distant blood bank you'll never know where it goes; the blood you give could go towards saving a child undergoing cancer treatment in Bakersfield, helping in the recovery of someone in a car accident, or going towards paying for your grandparent's emergency surgery before the end of the week.

The First Appointment Was Much Easier Than I Expected

So, I built this monumental task in my head and when I walked through their doors I found it to be much easier than I anticipated. Answer a few questions first, chat a bit with the professional who draws your blood while getting set up, feel a few pricks while they find a good vein to work with and before you know it the conversation becomes better than you ever expected to hear while donating blood. After that, I grab a snack to keep me full while they let it settle in my body before heading back home thinking about whose life I've just changed and will probably never know about.

The One Thing Most People Don't Think About

When you first start donating blood whole blood is probably something you'll stick to, it's the shortest donation out of all the different types, however platelet donation is a great alternative because of how it allows multiple patients to be helped. They're apheresis machines that allow them to separate platelets from the other things in your blood and give it right back to you while keeping the plasma. The whole process takes longer, but platelets have a much shorter shelf-life on the shelf meaning they need to be given to patients a lot more often.

What Makes A Local Blood Bank Feel Different?

Why is it that we feel different donating closer to home?

Well you know what, I don't know that either. Maybe it feels better for a reason we can never explain but after giving blood at Houchin Community Blood Bank for the second time I'm now pretty sure it's because they're a local company run by local people and not some faceless corporation that donates the majority of their donations to other companies all across the country. They're a nonprofit that gives back to the community they were created in decades ago and if you don't know the expression "local matters" this is what they mean by it. 

You don't feel like just another face in an office

by the third and every appointment after that someone always asks how you're doing and if you plan on coming back again. I'm told I usually give blood on Saturday mornings and when I visit this weekend one of the staff asks me how my daughter is doing because she's at a football tournament. Those little things never seem to matter as much as they should until you're sitting there watching the bag fill up and all of a sudden realize you felt more like part of this community than some other place. (And once you've experienced it, you start wondering why you ever put it off in the first place!)

Platelet Donors Know The Need Never Really Ends

One thing you probably didn't realize as a new donor is that platelets only last about five days, meaning they need to constantly be donated to make sure people who need them get the blood they rely on.

That's where Houchin's Gold Club really matters. Beyond the nice presents you get for your 21st donation, a North Face fleece hoodie, and the $150 check for your 24th, they're a reminder that other people's lives really do keep going while you're waiting to give again. The people who donate platelets at a higher rate are the ones that keep cancer patients alive who can't afford to wait another week for their next round of treatment.

Giving Others The Chance To Help Feels Pretty Good Too

At some point, you stop being the person who only donates. You start encouraging friends, coworkers, churches, schools, and local businesses to host a mobile blood drive because you know how much difference it makes. Watching familiar faces roll up their sleeves together has a way of reminding you what community actually looks like. Every mobile drive means more blood available for Kern County hospitals without asking people to travel across town.

Small Details Make The Whole Process Simpler

I've always been impressed by some of the little touches Houchin Community Blood Bank has that make donating blood so much easier. Instead of trying to remember when you can go back, you can keep track of your donations and schedule your next appointment in advance on their donor portal. They've also been investing in community relations with programs like Houchin Heartbeats encouraging students to become better informed and involved in how their community helps sustain blood supplies long before they need to find out first hand that it's a vital necessity.

This Isn't About Being A Hero

You leave the donation center and no one cheers for you. Life goes on as normal. You go home, maybe get lunch while you're there, and by the next morning you're back at work as if you'd never missed a day. Someone out in Kern County has a little more chance to survive thanks to you, and you should know it. That's one thing I feel most people fail to understand about donating blood; we should never stop striving to become better parts of our communities and I think we could always use a little helping hand once in a while.

If You've Been Thinking About Donating, This Is Your Sign

You'll never find a better time to start donating blood and help out the people of Bakersfield CA that rely on it every single day. There will always be another week you think you're too busy or another reason to put it off, but if you're healthy and eligible to give there's a good chance someone close to you might need it before you know it. Houchin Community Blood Bank has been providing blood to Kern County hospitals since 1951 because we're a community that looks out for our own. I encourage you to visit hcbb.com to schedule your appointment, whether it's your first donation or you're on your fiftieth, you'll leave happy you did!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is blood donation in Bakersfield CA really kept local?

Yes, donations made to Houchin Community Blood Bank are kept local and go towards hospitals and medical centers that serve Kern County and the surrounding areas.

What's the difference between whole blood and platelet donation?

Whole blood donations are quicker while platelet donations require apheresis and take longer, however platelet donations can help multiple patients at once and have a shorter shelf life.

Can my workplace or church host a mobile blood drive?

Yes, Houchin Community Blood Bank can bring a mobile blood drive to your location! Community organizations, churches, and facilities across Kern County can host a blood drive at their location.

How do I schedule my next donation with Houchin?

The easiest way to schedule your next donation with hcbb is through their online donor portal, to view your donation history, or to keep track of your next donation!