Local blood situation is Type O Negative

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, June 23, 2026

From Whidbey Island to Olympia, blood banks across Western Washington are confronting a dangerous reality: the region’s blood supply has fallen to emergency levels.

With supplies dwindling, Bloodworks is urging Whidbey community members to lend a vein. Residents on Whidbey Island will have several opportunities to donate in July, including mobile blood drives in Oak Harbor, Clinton and Langley.

Bloodworks Northwest reported that a combination of declining summer donations, increased demand from hospitals and the need to maintain reserves during a busy season has created a “perfect storm.”

The shortage has become severe enough for Bloodworks Northwest to declare a “Code Red,” citing less than a one- to two-day supply of critical blood types and platelets.

For Oak Harbor Councilmember Bryan Stucky, who posted himself donating blood on Facebook on June 17, donating blood is a simple way to directly help others. Having donated both plasma and blood over the years, he said the act aligns with his commitment to serving people.

“Sometimes it might save a life. Sometimes it might ease someone’s suffering, but anything I can do to help, I’m more than willing to do so,” he told the News-Times.

In a follow-up email, Stucky reflected on the broader significance of blood donation.

“Giving blood is a selfless act where you typically do not know the person receiving it,” he wrote. “Blood doesn’t care about political affiliation, religion, orientation or background — it is something we all need to survive. I find the very act of giving blood solely to help others with no ulterior motive can be a wonderful and unifying gesture.”

Bloodworks President and CEO Curt Bailey said the organization is working to raise awareness about the shortage.

“We have pulled out all the stops to increase the supply of blood available to patients, but without immediate donor support, hospitals may face difficult decisions about how to manage limited blood inventory,” he said.

The warning comes as hospitals continue to rely on blood donations for surgeries, trauma care, cancer treatment and emergency response. Bloodworks Northwest supplies blood to 95% of hospitals in Western Washington and Oregon and requires about 1,000 donors every day to maintain adequate inventory.

Even as the need grows, more than 48,000 donation appointments remain open through July.

Blood usage is at its highest level in years and could increase further during this year’s major summer gatherings, including Fourth of July celebrations and World Cup-related events. Bloodworks has imported blood from other parts of the country to help bridge the gap, but nationwide shortages are making that increasingly difficult.

Bloodworks Northwest reports that only about 3% of eligible people donate blood. Appointments can be scheduled online, and same-day appointments and walk-ins are available at most donation sites.