DAYTON – Solvita Blood Center supports recognition of April Minority Health Month as a time to raise awareness about the importance of improving the health of racial and ethnic minority communities and reducing health disparities.

The mission of the Solvita Minority Blood Inclusion Committee is to advocate for improving the health of minority communities by increasing and diversifying the area blood supply.

“Diversity in blood donations, especially among African American donors, is vital for the treatment of sickle cell disease and other conditions requiring closely matched transfusions with blood from donors of similar racial background,” said Solvita Minority Health Committee Chair Alayna Maxson.

Sickle cell disease is most common in African Americans and Latinos. Half of African Americans with type O blood are a match for sickle cell patients compared to one in 40 from other ethnicities. About 12% of blood donations come from minority donors, a 34% decrease from before the pandemic.

“Did you know that the health and wellness checkups that are a part of the blood screening process can catch underlying health issues?” said Maxson. “These screenings don’t require health insurance. We encourage minorities to donate blood for the betterment of their lives, as well as others.”

Schedule an appointment to donate with Solvita (formerly Community Blood Center) on the Donor Time app, by calling 937-461-3220, or at www.donortime.com.

Donors can save time while helping save lives by using “DonorXPress” to complete the donor questionnaire before arriving at a blood drive. Find DonorXPress on the Donor Time App or at www.solvita.org/donorxpress.