Like the familiar theme song from the classic sitcom Cheers, it sure is nice to go to a place “where everyone knows your name.” That is the spirit and feeling you get when you walk through the doors of LifeStream Cascade, the new community blood bank that just opened in Federal Way (at 909 S. 336th Street).

It starts with the woman sitting at the front desk - a delightful personality who has been greeting local donors for over two decades. She is one of some 20 staffers from the community’s former blood bank that saw their jobs disappear when the organization abruptly closed in March after a 78-year run serving donors throughout Pierce and south King counties. When management at LifeStream Cascade reached out to see if they had interest in joining a new blood center, it was an easy decision.

Many former donors felt the same way. A steady stream of them arrived for LifeStream Cascade’s grand opening in late August, ready to re-start their regular regimen of giving blood. Some were there to donate valuable platelets; others whole blood. The day had all the markings of a family reunion, with plenty of hugs and friendly banter exchanged around the collections area.

The special camaraderie aside, there was also a more serious theme at work. All recognized that the gift they were giving is in precious short supply, not only across our communities in Western Washington, but well beyond our town borders.

The Fragility of Our Blood Supply

COVID-19 changed the nation’s blood center landscape and not in a positive way. While donation levels were already starting to drop in the years leading up to the pandemic, largely because of shifting donor demographics, they dropped dramatically when trips to offices, schools, and other traditional donation sites were disrupted.

The industry is slowly making its way back, but in areas like Pierce and south King County, blood centers continue to run at a net deficit in terms of matching supply with patient demand – meaning they must occasionally import blood to ensure continuity of supply. LifeStream Cascade’s arrival on the scene will help close the gap.

The new community blood bank is part of a larger regional organization known as LifeStream Blood Bank, a nonprofit which supplies blood products and services to communities across Southern California and now, the Pacific Northwest.

All donor-facing services are located in Pierce and south King County, as is the leadership team and professional staff. These are folks who grew up, attended schools, maintain family, and started their professional careers here. They know the community and the people and places who make it unique. 

Do not let the California reference confuse you. Like every blood center with multiple collection sites, LifeStream Cascade processes donated blood at its central lab, which happens to be in Southern California. The center does that because it is not practical to operate a fully equipped, professionally certified lab facility on the premises of every site. This is standard industry practice.

 Where the Blood Goes

Blood collected here can be sent to any number of hospital customers. That also holds true for the platelets being collects. Although that product has a much shorter shelf life, those platelets can still safely and comfortably reach patients in need here. LifeStream Cascade currently contracts with one major hospital system in Washington and is working on other contracts which should soon be finalized. This is part of the organization’s long-range plan to grow with the community.

Some may wonder if donations here are used elsewhere and, the short answer is, yes, they can, depending on blood type matching and patient need. The industry has the shared responsibility to treat and value the life of each patient equally.

In other words, no blood center wants or should be placed in the position of picking winners and losers, especially when lives may be hanging in the balance. The notion that donated blood should sit on a shelf in one community when it could save a life elsewhere would conflict with the industry’s mission of saving as many lives as possible. The ability to deliver products on a just-in-time basis is what enables professional blood centers to respond to emergencies - wherever they may occur.

That is why LifeStream Cascade maintains affiliation agreements with groups such as Blood Emergency Readiness Corps (BERC). It is also a member of professional organizations like the Blood Centers of America (BCA), the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB), America’s Blood Centers, and other clinical organizations. 

LifeStream Cascade received hundreds of calls once news got out that donors had a new option for giving blood in the south Puget Sound region. While call volumes have normalized over the past few weeks, the response underscores the deep emotional bonds that donors felt for a 78-year-old community institution. That chapter may have closed, but the next one is starting strong.

How to Donate

Donors who wish to schedule an individual appointment are invited to call 877-24-BLOOD and press option 1. For those interested in organizing a drive through their local school or community organization contact the Regional Account Manager for the areas shown below:

Tacoma, West Pierce, Thurston County – Gregory Peloquin 253-453-0746
Puyallup, East Pierce, South King County – Marissa De La Garza 253-453-0807

For general information, please visit: www.lifestreamcascade.org

About the Author
Jean Garcia is Senior Director of LifeStream Cascade Region. She oversees all operations and serves as the organization’s professional liaison with contracted providers throughout the Pacific Northwest region.