Blood Bank of Hawaii issues urgent call for AB plasma donations

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Blood Bank of Hawaiʻi is urging people with AB blood — positive or negative — to donate this week as one patient in Hawaiʻi needs large volumes of plasma for her current condition.

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Kim-Anh Nguyen, president and CEO of Blood Bank of Hawaiʻi, said it is unusual for the organization to make a specific public appeal like this.

Plasma is the clear liquid part of blood and helps blood clot. It is used in cases including burns, liver transplants and trauma, Nguyen said.

Nguyen said certain rare medical conditions can require doctors to remove a patient’s plasma and replace it with healthy donated plasma from the community.

AB plasma is considered the universal plasma donor type.

Nguyen said that the state had about 1.5 weeks’ supply on hand as of Friday morning, and replacing a single patient’s full plasma volume could use about three days’ worth of the supply.

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“In about three days or so, we will have none of this plasma left on the shelf, and that would be devastating,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen said AB plasma can be difficult to import from the mainland because it is rare and requires special shipping conditions.

Summer is a challenging time for donations. Even if you don’t have AB blood, Blood Bank of Hawaiʻi is encouraging the public to donate.

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You can make an appointment online at BBH.org or call (808) 848-4770.