Support UChicago Medicine with a blood donation during National Trauma Awareness Month

May is National Trauma Awareness Month. The University of Chicago Medicine launched its Level 1 adult trauma center in 2018, making it the first adult trauma center on the South Side of Chicago in 27 years. Last year, UCM responded to 667 events of critical bleeding, which required large amounts of transfusions. In 2023 alone, UCM purchased over 27,500 units of red blood cells, 9,500 units of apheresis platelets, and 8,500 units of plasma—all necessary to support both adult and pediatric trauma patients, plus many other patients with serious medical needs. 

That’s why the UCM Blood Donation Center is so important—all the blood collected on campus reduces UCM’s need to purchase blood from outside suppliers. 

Pediatric Infectious Diseases Fellow Dr. John (Jack) Flores first gave blood at UChicago Medicine’s Blood Donation Center for free movie tickets, but his experience has inspired him to continue to help UChicago Medicine patients.

In his work in infectious diseases at UChicago Medicine, Dr. Flores sees firsthand the important need for the great amount of blood products required to manage patients from many areas of the hospital. 

Knowing he can help these patients directly has further motivated Dr. Flores to make the hour-long commitment as often as allowed (you can donate blood once every 56 days or you may donate platelets every seven days). 

“I hope UChicago employees consider donating to the blood donation center—it’s easy, the people who work there are so friendly, and it’s for a great cause,” Dr. Flores added. 

Plus, upon a successful donation, a donor can earn up to five vouchers for AMC movie theaters, daily parking, or meal cards. 

Learn more about how to donate blood at the center in our intranet story.