Bloodworks 101

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Tash Haynes is a storyteller and content creator based here in the Puget Sound Area. Tash says she loves to share people's stories but as Bloodworks 101 Producer John Yeager found out, it's her personal story that brought her in to the new Bloodworks Northwest Tacoma Donor Center. Wait til you hear it. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Bloodworks partners with The Residency on Where the Heart Lives, a free one-hour hip-hop show for high school and college students that makes blood donation more approachable. If you’ve seen a performance, you’ve probably seen Tazz Enrico. Tazz came into Bloodworks to talk with our own Giselle Lehmann. As you will hear, the relationship that Giselle and Tazz have built through Where the Heart Lives is truly something special. Find Tazz at: https://djten.my.canva.site/t-en-comWhere the Heart Lives: https://wheretheheartlives.org/ © 2026 Bloodworks 101Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Content warning: this episode involves life-threatening bleeding during childbirth. The strengths of motherhood are not often recognized or appreciated in the workplace. Seattle resident Dr. Laura Marie Rivera is very aware of this — her work focuses on the intersection between motherhood and leadership. But, 11 years ago as of this week, Dr. Laura Marie almost lost her life while becoming a mom for the third and fourth time. More about Dr. Laura Marie:Intuitionship: https://intuitionship.com/The Motherhood Advantage: https://www.motherhoodadvantage.com/ © 2026 Bloodworks 101Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message This week, Bloodworks issued a Code Red, an urgent appeal for blood donors: our region’s blood supply has reached emergency low levels. Bloodworks 101 co-producer Helen Pitlick talked with Harry Thomas, Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement, to learn more about this urgent need. Make your next appointment at bloodworksnw.org or by calling 800-398-7888. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message On June 12, 2016, a gunman opened fire during Latin Night at Pulse, a popular gay nightclub in Orlando, FL. 49 people lost their lives, 58 were wounded, and countless worlds changed forever. Ten years later, Bloodworks 101 host John Yeager sat down with Bloodworks staff to reflect on the impact that The Pulse Nightclub has had on blood banking, the LGBTQIA+ community, and the country as a whole. © 2026 Bloodworks 101Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message In our episode yesterday, you met Steve Edmiston: lawyer, cancer survivor, filmmaker, microhistorian, and founder of one of the Men in Black Birthday Bash. As a special treat for Bloodworks 101 listeners, Steve shares all about his area of expertise: the Maury Island Incident of 1947. It gets weird.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message It’s June 1947, and Bloodworks’ first donation center in Seattle has been open for six months. Roughly 20 miles southwest, Harold Dahl and his crew experience something strange near Maury Island in Puget Sound. What happens next will launch a mystery and a mythology that persists to this day. The truth is out there, and, nearly 80 years later, Steve Edmiston wants to find it. But, as Bloodworks 101 co-producer Helen Pitlick learned, there was a time that Steve was the star of a scary SciFi-esque story of his own.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Western Washington expects an additional 350,000–600,000 visitors in June and July for to the upcoming World Cup tournament, the largest sporting event on the planet. It’s going to be great for the local economy — and a potential concern for the blood supply. Bloodworks 101 co-producer Helen Pitlick sat down with Kyle Boynton, Bloodworks' Product Strategy Manager, to learn more about what the beautiful game has to do with blood donation.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Hello, Tacoma! On June 9, Bloodworks Northwest will hold the Grand Opening of our newest donor center in Tacoma. The Tacoma supervisor is someone Bloodworks 101 listeners are already familiar with: Jeremy Tanner from our Puyallup donor center. And, as producer John Yeager shares, Jeremy is no stranger to blood donation.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message The blood banking industry, hospitals and first reponders all over the nation refer to the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day as the "100 Deadliest Days." Today, on Bloodworks 101, our Co-Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kirsten Alcorn tells Producer John Yeager that this summer, the 100 Deadliest Days include a global sporting event that'll draw thousands to the Pacific Northwest - The World Cup. And while Bloodworks Northwest is hoping for the best, they're preparing for the worst - just in case.  Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message The Seahawks are the reigning NFL champions! Three months after Super Bowl LX, we’re still riding that high here in the Pacific Northwest. Major events are fun but come with a potential impact to the local blood supply. With the world’s largest sporting event — the FIFA World Cup — coming to Seattle and 15 other cities in June, Bloodworks 101 co-producer Helen Pitlick sat down with a few of Bloodworks' friends at Stanford Blood Center to get insight into how they prepared for a Big Game.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message In the last five years, Bloodworks 101 has published more than 250 episodes. It's been downloaded more than 37,000 times. We've won six coveted Anthem Awards, beating out more than 2,000 entries from 42 countries. But we couldn't have done anything without you, our loyal listener. So for the last couple weeks, we've been republishing your Top Three favorite Bloodworks 101 podcast episodes. Here's Number One.Do you have trypanophobia? It's the fear of needles and it's way more common than you think. In fact, it plays a huge role in whether you donate blood or not. In this premiere edition of the Second Season of "Bloodworks 101," John Yeager talks to those who suffer from a fear of needles, a phlebotomist who tries to calm down those anxious blood donors, who are afraid of the needle and finally with a clinical psychologist who helps patients face their fears head-on.  Originally published October 30th, 2021.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message In the last five years, Bloodworks 101 has published more than 250 episodes. It's been downloaded more than 37,000 times. We've won six coveted Anthem Awards, beating out more than 2,000 entries from 42 countries. But we couldn't have done anything without you, our loyal listener. So for the last couple weeks, we've been republishing your Top Three favorite Bloodworks 101 podcast episodes. Here's Number Two. We call it "Natasha's New Car."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's story didn't happen overnight. It would play out over 20 years. And little did she know that it would begin on one of the most horrific days in American history, September 11th. 2001.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message In the last five years, Bloodworks 101 has published more than 250 episodes. It's been downloaded more than 37,000 times. We've won six coveted Anthem Awards, beating out more than 2,000 entries from 42 countries. But we couldn't have done anything without you, our loyal listener. So for the next couple weeks, we'll be republishing your Top Three favorite Bloodworks 101 podcast episodes. Here's Number Three. It was the first podcast we ever published, back in January of 2020, just before the pandemic. Tom Newman is a courier for Seattle-based Bloodworks Northwest. In this episode of the monthly podcast, Bloodworks 101, Newman explains why he'd do this job whether they paid him or not. Tom delivers blood products from Bloodworks Northwest's transit center in Georgetown (on Seattle's South side) to hospitals and blood drives from the Canadian border to Southern Oregon and just about everywhere in Western Washington. He drives hundreds of miles a day in all kinds of traffic but wait til you hear how Tom got started and why. Newman told host John Yeager all about it on this premiere episode of Bloodworks 101 entitled "Paying in Forward with Tommy Newman."Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message When 11-year-old Brody Hamilton stood at home plate, ready to run the bases before the Mariner's Home Opener on Thursday, March 26th, it was the end of a long battle with cancer. But as thousands of Mariner's fans like Bloodworks 101 Producer John Yeager would find out, there was one more challenge Brody would face. It was the one down the first baseline. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message During the pandemic, Bloodworks Northwest became keenly aware of the impact that a drop in blood donation from college students would have. Recently, we commissioned a study to look at that impact and how to do something about it. The woman in charge of the study, our own Claire Yang, sat down with Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager to discuss the study and take a hard look at the question, "Why Don't More College Students Donate Blood?"  Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Thursday, March 26th, marks Opening Day for the Seattle Mariners. Some say this season begins with more hope than any Mariners' fan can remember. And that includes Trevor Gooby, the Marines Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. But Trevor also has hope that more people will heed the call to become blood donors. That's because Gooby is the Chair of the Bloodworks Northwest Board of Trustees. Recently, Trevor sat down with Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager to talk about how he came to join the board and of course to talk ... baseball. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message For most of us, breaking a toe is a painful inconvenience. For Josh McCullough, co-host of podcasts Murder in the Rain and Always Be My Sisters, it might have saved his life—along with Bloodworks donors and the cardiac surgery team at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland. We sat down with Josh to talk about his heart surgery, the community connection of blood donation, and what cold case he'd most like to see solved. More from Josh:Murder in the RainAlways be my SistersSupport the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message With the Oscars coming up this Sunday, we felt celebrating the movies was in order. So, in this ENCORE EDITION of Bloodworks 101, host Helen Pitlick spoke to Bloodworks co-workers John Yeager and Bill Harper, along with Donor Center Collections Strategist Kyle Boynton about the power of cinema to connect us. As Helen discovered, these three lost themselves in the magic of the movies - and, through this, found connection. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message In an emergency, every second counts. Last week on Bloodworks 101, Chief Scoggins of Seattle Fire Department mentioned one way that first responders save lives: by carrying whole blood on board Medic One vehicles to administer transfusions at the scene of a bleeding event.But before this, police officers like Greg Schmidt used to turn on their sirens to get patients lifesaving blood as quickly as possible. Bloodworks 101 co-producer Helen Pitlick sat down with Greg to learn more. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message February is Black History Month, a time set aside to honor the contributions Blacks have made in our community. But it's also a time to look ahead at the challenges before us. One prominent Black Seattlite is Harold Scoggins, Seattle's Fire Chief. As a first responder, Scoggins knows the importance of blood donation better than most. And now, as a newly appointed member of the Bloodworks Board of Trustees, the Chief has a deeper understanding of the difference Bloodworks Northwest makes in our community. Recently, the Chief sat down with Bloodworks 101 contributor, Juan Cotto.  Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message What would you do if someone literally gave you a new lease on life? Now imagine if the number of people who gave you that lease was more than 200? On today's edition of Bloodworks 101, producer John Yeager introduces us to Hayley Resk who's literally "paying it forward" in Portland.   Link to the Solvita website: Solvita - From one, to many.  Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message This has been an epic week for Riq Woolen and the Seattle Seahawks! A few years ago, Riq took part in our "Young Bloods" blood donation awareness campaign. In honor of the Seahawks' championship season, here’s Bloodworks 101 host John Yeager’s interview with Riq from 2023.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message February marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, a time to reflect on the achievements and contributions made by Blacks in this nation. But as Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager found out, it's also a time to look at some "pretty sobering numbers" when it comes to Black Americans and blood donation. For today's editon of Bloodworks 101, John spoke to Harry Thomas, Bloodworks Northwest's Vice President of Marketing Operations and Planning about those numbers and a new study of Black donors.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message What's holding you back from donating blood? Are you afraid of needles? Well, if you're uncomfortable around needles, this is the episode for you. Because as the donor in this edition of Bloodworks 101 found out, sometimes you can't even feel the donation when it actually starts. The donor's name is Brian Dunning, from Bend, Oregon. He's an award-winning podcast host who makes his living debunking myths wherever he finds them. But as producer John Yeager tells us, it's also about "walking the talk," about blood donation.Here's a recent Skeptoid episode about Blood Donation Myths:SkeptoidSpecial thanks to the staff at Skeptoid, including Kathy Rightmire, Director of Operations and Resources for stepping up and making a donation. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Recently, Bloodworks Northwest awarded a free trip to one lucky donor. The destination? Tokyo. It was called "Donate and Win," all part of our "Music's in Our Blood" campaign. Producer John Yeager got a chance to speak with the winner who couldn't have picked a more fitting destination. It's a place she's dreamed of almost all her life. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message How is hip hop like blood donation? As Jace Ecaj (The Residency, Black Stax) and Giselle Lehmann (Bloodworks) explain, Where the Heart Lives, our high school and college education program, brings the two together in a meaningful and memorable way. Learn more: https://wheretheheartlives.org/Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message On December 15, 2025, Bloodworks' Renton facilities received a GO NOW evacuation order after a Green River levee failed and sent floodwaters into neighborhoods around Tukwila, Renton, and Kent. For Bloodworks' VP of Laboratory Operations Mike Charapata, the situation felt eerily familiar.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message If you listen to radio in the Pacific Northwest, there's a good chance you know the name John Richards. He's the Morning Show Host & Producer at Seattle's KEXP. Well, he's also a Bloodworks Northwest blood donor. And as Bloodworks 101 Producer John Yeager found out, there's a good reason why. It has to do with "walking the talk." Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Lynn and John Tissell met at church — but that's just how it started. They fell in love through blood donation. As Bloodworks 101 co-producer Helen Pitlick shares, theirs is a story that will make the hearts of even the grinchiest Bloodworks 101 listeners grow three sizes. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Each year, Bloodworks Northwest sets aside December 18th as Washington State Blood Donor Day. It's a day that comemorates the Amtrak 501 derailment near DuPont on Decemeber 18th, 2017. But it also shines a light on the need to be ready BEFORE disasters like that occur. The derailment killed three and injured dozens and crippled transportation in Western Washington for days. Bloodworks Northwest's Juan Cotto spearheaded the effort to get the day set aside a few years ago but as Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager found out, it wasn't the last time he'd be at the center of a statewide blood donation awareness campaign. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message For years, it's been a given that there's no such thing as artificial blood. Well not anymore. Thanks to researchers like Dr. Allan Doctor and his team at the University of Maryland, the prospect of articial blood could be years away instead of decades. And when you consider that only 3 out of 100 people actually donate blood, you begin to understand the kind of impact that this reseaarch has. Recently, Allan Doctor spoke to Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager, via Zoom. Here's today's edition of Bloodworks 101.  Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message For fans of the hit HBO show Our Flag Means Death, the Gravy Basket is a place between life and death. After a trip to New York for an Our Flag Means Death convention, the Gravy Basket became real for Seattle resident Missa Marmalstein, made all the more surreal by the show's finale that very night. Bloodworks 101 co-producer Helen Pitlick sat down with Missa to learn how donated blood brought her back.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Happy Thanksgiving! We have a favorite episode to share in honor of this day of gratitude — and Bloodworks 101 winning two 2025 Anthem Awards. When the Tualatin City Council met during National Blood Donor Month, an official proclamation was read, honoring Bloodworks Northwest. But little did those attending the meeting know, this official proclamation hit Councilor Maria Reyes hard. As she told Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager, that's because this proclamation took Maria back to the worst day of her life but also to the ninety people who were there for her when that life hung in the balance.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Bloodworks Northwest is right in the middle of our latest awareness campaign called, "Music's in Our Blood." It's our effort to reach out to music communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. One of the more enthusiastic partners we have is Portland's Ben Dudley, from the nonprofit, "Free Guitars for Kids." Recently, Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager got a chance to travel to Portland for this episode. What follows is undeniable proof that music really is in Ben Dudley's blood. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Tuesday, November 11th is Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor those men and women who have served their country. One of those veterans is Bloodworks Northwest President & CEO Curt Bailey. Curt is a former U.S. Marine Corps chopper pilot. For Bailey, Veterans Day is a day to look back on how his military service shaped him into the leader he is today but it’s also a chance to look ahead at the challenges facing Bloodworks. Heres the latest edition of Bloodworks 101, with your host John Yeager.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Did you know that people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, on or off medication, can donate blood if their diabetes is under control and they meet the other eligibility criteria? Madi Johnson didn't know this until she started working for Bloodworks, and she's lived with diabetes since she was 12. Now, it's her job to help people in all communities donate blood.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Seattle's Mark Klebeck is the co-founder of Top Pot Doughnuts, one of our partners in the Music's in Our Blood Awareness campaign. There's a good reason for that as Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager discovered. Here's John's conversation with Klebeck, including proof that music really is in his blood.   Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message If you only had six months to live, what's the first thing you'd do? What would be most important? Tough questions aren't they. But a local woman named Josie Rosler and her family had to answer them when they got some devastating news a few years ago. Josie shared her story with Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager. What follows is an episode we're calling, " Six Months to Say Goodbye." Josie is speaking at a one day, arts conference for people who’ve experienced loss, in Lynnwood this Saturday and there’s still tickets available. Her talk is on how to create a beautiful life, after experiencing profound loss. Here’s a link to the registration. https://cam-arts.com/2025-Requiem-Event/Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message If you're a platelet donor with Bloodworks Northwest, we can't thank you enough. But as you sit there and make your lifesaving donation, have you ever thought of the machine at your side, just clicking along, separating the lifesaving components in your blood? Well, Lori Harada and Carly Newton from Terumo, the maker of the machine sure have. A while back, Bloodworks 101 producer, John Yeager spoke with Lori and Carly for today's edition of Bloodworks 101.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Ohio's Al Whitney is 88 years old and in the blood banking industry, he's become a bit of a legend. Why? Well, as Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager found out, that's because Al Whitney is a man on a mission to save lives.  Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Bloodworks is in the middle of our fifth annual Music’s In Our Blood campaign, seeking 10,000 new and returning donors by the end of the year. And celebrating a few of our regular donors! Sam Sitzman has been donating blood since he turned 16 — and playing the cello since he was three. What do blood donation and playing the cello have in common? They both get better with regular practice.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message If you're a regular Bloodworks Northwest donor, you probably get calls from our staff at the Contact Center. Ever wonder who's on the other end of the line? Well, Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager did. And wait till you hear some of the stories the woman in charge of the Center has to tell. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message While platelets were the focus of Dr. Sherrill Slichter's research at Bloodworks, patients were always at the heart. Dr. Theresa Nester and Dr. Moritz Stolla discuss about the clinical implications of her work.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message Dr. Sherrill Slichter joined Bloodworks in 1970, and over four and a half decades, her platelet research changed the face of transfusion medicine around the world. In this episode of Bloodworks 101, her colleagues Dr. Theresa Nester, Dr. Moritz Stolla, and Gayle Teramura reflect on Dr. Slichter's research and legacy.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message The "We Give Blood Drive" is the brainchild of Abbott Laboratories, an American multinational medical devices and health care company and the Big Ten conference to promote blood donation by students, alumni, and fans of Big Ten schools. The campaign is now underway with Big Ten schools vying for a $1 million grant to advance student or community health by registering the greatest number of donors among Big Ten institutions across the country during the current Big Ten football season. Recently, Bloodworks 101 producer John Yeager spoke with Professor Alexes Harris from the University of Washington, a Big Ten school, about why the campaign is so important to her. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message At Bloodworks, we like to say that platelets are "golden." Why? well, as producer John Yeager tells us in the special ENCORE EDITION of Bloodworks 101, it's because they have such an impact on the people who receive them. But it's also because of the time and sacrifice it takes to produce them. For this edition, John spoke to Bloodworks' Senior Product Strategy Manager Kyle Boynton. Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message As a fitness buff, Randy Cantrell knew he wanted to do something big to celebrate turning 70. And as a lifelong blood donor, he also wanted raise money for Bloodworks. Bloodworks 101 co-producer Helen Pitlick joined Randy for a walk around Green Lake in Seattle as part of his epic birthday fundraiser.Got a creative idea for a fundraiser? Our Development Office would love to hear from you: learn more.Support the show

Got a story idea for Bloodworks 101? Send us a text message As a tech-savvy marketer, blood donor Mike Burlin likes to automate his donations as much as possible. Which hasn’t always been the case: after his dad was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), blood and stem cell donation were often on Mike’s mind. Here's a special ENCORE EDITION of Bloodworks 101, hoted by Helen Pitlick.Schedule your next blood donation: donate.bloodworksnw.orgLearn more about cord blood donation: bloodworksnw.org/cordbloodJoin the bone marrow registry: nmdp.orgSupport the show