Bloodworks 101

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Blood has always been a part of Tiffany McDermott's life. The recently-retired OB/GYN first grew up in a family of blood donors, then, throughout her career, witnessed firsthand the impact a unit of blood can have on a new mother or her baby if there are complications in childbirth. Now, retired and in her work as a Bloodworks Northw...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Something special is brewing at Olympia's Three Magnets Brewery.  It's a new blood orange red IPA that's part of a blood donation awareness campaign with Bloodworks Northwest called, "Savor Life Save a Life." And on this edition of Bloodworks 101, producer John Yeager tells us that there's a lot more to this...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message French-born Chef Thierry Rautureau has been a pillar of the Seattle culinary for decades as the visionary of such seminal restaurants as Rover's Loulay, and Luc. When we approached him to join our Culinary Coalition in support of blood donation, he eagerly agreed and said in his interview with Bill Harper, "without blood, there...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Traci Calderon at Atrium Kitchen in Pike Place Market "backed into" life as a restaurateur here in Seattle. She started Atrium Kitchen by providing free and more importantly, nutritious meals to seniors and others in need in the Market neighborhood. She also made a living as a caterer. But then in March of 2020, when the pandemi...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Denise Whitaker, Gregg Hersholt and Brian Callanan all make a living by telling stories. They're all Pacific Northwest award-winning journalists. But as Bloodworks 101's John Yeager discovers in this episode of Bloodworks 101, they all make a difference in their community by donating blood and by "walking the talk". Su...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message From March 3 until June 30 2022, Bloodworks Northwest will partner with dozens in the Seattle culinary community in hopes of recruiting 10,000 new or re-engaged donors. It's called the Savor Life, Save a Life Campaign. As Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager found out, for a couple of those culinary partners, James Beard Award-winning...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message First Bloodworks 101 episode published as a 2022 International Academy of Arts & Sciences Anthem Award Winner!  Every few months, we get the entire Bloodworks Northwest staff together for a "Town Hall" to check in, regroup, celebrate successes, and make ambitious future plans. In the last one on 12/1/2021, Bloodworks 101&apo...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Dr. Ashley Ellis, the Assistant Medical Director at Bloodworks Northwest could never figure out why Black History Month was only confined to February. Here at Bloodworks, she's deeply involved in the "All of Us," a research program that aims to level the playing field when it comes to health care. She's also been at th...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message We've all heard the expression, "It takes a village." Where it came from isn't 100 percent clear. But what is certain is that when it comes to our community's response to the current national blood shortage - it's up to all of us.  On this edition of Bloodworks 101, producer John Yeager speaks with Dr. Jorge...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Leo Notenboom is many things: 342nd employee at Microsoft, entrepreneur, animal lover, amateur radio operator, host of the Annual Pacific Northwest Corgi Picnic, dedicated platelet donor. In this episode of Bloodworks 101, listen in as Helen Pitlick interviews Leo on his many passions while he's donating platelets for the 105th time...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message In today's polarized political times it's hard to find an issue that actually brings people together but that's exactly what Juan Cotto, Bloodworks' Senior Government Affairs and Community Engagement Strategist does every time he talks to Olympia lawmakers about blood donation. And as he tells Bloodworks 101 producer J...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message It's rare that a blood donor and a recipient get to connect but that's exactly what happens on this episode of Bloodworks 101 when frequent platelet donor Dan Ertel meets Mack Bell, a 30-year-old African-American man living with cerebral palsy, who contracted a potentially-deadly blood condition called aplastic anemia. That&apos...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message When local real estate agent Heidi Christensen made a blood donation recently, little did she know it would lead to a 4 day/4 night trip to see Macklemore in a December concert in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and a special backstage meet and greet with the multiple-Grammy-winning artist after the show. That's because Heidi's donation...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Elisa Barston, principal second violinist with the Seattle Symphony, knows the power of both music and blood: her mom, Gilda, gave her an appreciation for both. Elisa explains how her mom's fight against leukemia opened her eyes to the importance of platelet donation. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Vicki Finson is the Executive V.P. for Blood Services at Bloodworks. It's Finson's job to ensure that there's enough blood on hand when an emergency happens, like the Downtown Seattle rush hour shooting in January of 2020 or the Amtrak 501 Derailment near Lacey, Washington on December 18th, 2017 that killed three, injured d...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Saturday, December 18th marks four years since the derailment of Amtrak 501 that killed three and injured dozens. But it's also the Second Annual State Blood Donor Day in Washington and Oregon. One of those behind the idea of setting aside a day to honor blood donation as well as first responders is Juan Cotto, the Senior Government...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message ENCORE EDITION: Thursday, November 18th, 2021 marks the day Amtrak Cascades service resumes on the Point Defiance Bypass near DuPont, Washington, the site of the Amtrak 501 derailment in December 2017. Saturday, December 18th is the second annual State Blood Donor Day in Washington and Oregon, a day set aside to mark the 4th anniversary o...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Seattle rock band Mudhoney is often seen as instrumental (pun intended) in the creation of the grunge genre of the 1990s. But few people know that its bassist is also a nurse at the Pacific Northwest's only Level 1 trauma center, Harborview Medical Center, and has built up a career learning on every shift the importance of having don...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message On this edition of Bloodworks 101, you'll find out about SIDx and a brand new rapid, near-patient blood typing instrument. It's also about one of the Northwest's best-kept secrets - The Bloodworks Research Institute in Seattle where this revolutionary approach to blood typing will save help save lives- when minutes count. ...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Unless you're donating blood, it's generally supposed to be in your body. When it's not, something is often wrong. Blood, even the fake stuff you see everywhere around Halloween, evokes a primal reaction. In this episode of Bloodworks 101, we talk to Cara Elise of Georgetown Morgue, Jolene Obertin of Seattle Reparatory Thea...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message TW: Domestic Violence On October 19th, 2021, a Virtual Blood Drive begins, honoring Eugene's Caitlin (pronounced CAT-lin) Roberts and the story of a brutal attack in her own home just five days before Christmas, 2019.  Once you hear it you'll never forget it. Nor will you forget the enduring optimism she reflects as she tells he...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message It's no secret that for KEXP announcer Reeves Richards, music is in his blood. He credits his father, Dr. Ken Richards with introducing him to classic rockers like AC/DC back when Reeves was just a kid, growing up. But today there's something else that Reeves gets from his dad - a deep appreciation for how important it is to giv...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message This is the story of two remarkable two women -- Henrietta Lacks and Sonya Chris Ellis -- separated by decades but immortal to those who carry on their legacies, as told by two remarkable women -- Lacks' great-granddaughter Victoria Baptiste and Bloodworks' Dr. Ashley Ellis -- the lessons their families want us all to learn from...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message You may know that cats and dogs can give blood, but what about birds of prey? Dr. Nicki Rosenhagen of PAWS in Lynnwood, WA joins Bloodworks 101 to tell the story of Bey, a bald eagle found down in West Seattle, and the golden eagle who donated blood to save her life.  An update on this hero: https://issuu.com/paws_wa/docs/minimag_08-30-21...

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message We all have our reasons for donating blood that finally compel us to schedule an appointment. Whidbey Island's Natasha Vanderlinden had to overcome her significant fear of needles but as host John Yeager tells us in this episode of "Bloodworks 101," once she overcame that fear, you'll never guess what happened. Natasha...