OKMULGEE – According to Our Blood Institute (OBI) Ardmore Senior Account Manager Michelle McGuire, it only takes 45 minutes to save a life. That is how long it takes for a blood donor to fill out paperwork, donate blood, and rest before they are on their way. One donation can save up to three lives. To meet the need of the critical blood supply in Oklahoma, OBI is hosting their fourth annual Tribal Challenge Blood Drive from Aug. 1 through January 31, 2026. The challenge involves the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, the Choctaw Nation, the Chickasaw Nation, and the Cherokee Nation.
The Tribal Challenge began during the Covid-19 Pandemic. When lockdowns were in effect and public gatherings were prohibited OBI was unable to host blood drives in places like schools, public events, and tribal facilities. This resulted in a blood shortage. That is when Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton proposed the idea of a tribal challenge, a friendly competition among fellow Oklahoma tribes.
“He’s (Chief Batton) the one that had that idea and brought it to fruition,” McGuire said. “Now we’re starting our fourth year. Our very first year that we had the challenge we collected 2,292 units, which is amazing. We’ve grown exponentially every year. This past year we collected 4,496. Last year we collected 398 units from the Creek Nation.”
Currently the Choctaw Nation holds the title of winner from last year’s tribal challenge. Regardless of which tribe holds the title as winner, McGuire said the real winners are the patients who receive blood.
The OBI’s O negative is currently low. O negative blood donors are also known as “universal blood donors” because they can transfer blood to anyone. According to McGuire, the OBI always has a need for O negative blood. Events like natural disasters, terrorist attacks or shootings can make the need greater.
“If something major happens that means we would need more blood,” McGuire said. “We’re using more than what we’re collecting. Only seven percent of our population in Oklahoma is O negative, only two percent of those donors actually donate blood. That puts us in a very challenging spot. If anyone is O negative we are encouraging them to donate blood.”
The OBI is also low on platelets, blood cells commonly needed for cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Blood can be donated every 56 days, or about every two months. Platelets can be donated every seven days. Those who are eligible to donate blood must be sixteen years or older. Minors will need their parents to fill out a consent form, which can be found on OBI’s website or at any blood drive. The weight requirements for 16-18 year olds is 125 pounds, for those 18 and over, 110 pounds. Donors must present a photo ID on site. Those that meet the aforementioned requirements and feel healthy are encouraged to donate blood.
“Every two seconds someone needs blood. In Oklahoma we have to collect 1,200 every single day just to meet our daily needs. Our daily needs will be for our cancer patients, those in accidents, surgeries, organ transplants, babies in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) on ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation).” – Our Blood Institute Ardmore Senior Account Manager Michelle McGuire
For those who were previously ineligible to donate due to low blood iron, McGuire said they can try again within 24 hours since hemoglobin levels can change within that time period. Foods that can help iron deficiencies include meat, fruits, vegetables and beans.
Donating blood for the first time can be a daunting task for someone who has never done it before. McGuire’s advice is that although it may seem hard at first, the feeling afterward is rewarding.
“The unknown is scary, anything that you’ve never done before is scary,” McGuire said. “When you’re giving blood you feel one little stick, that’s all you feel. You’re only on the bed for less than 15 minutes. By then you’ve filled up that bag of life-saving blood that’s going to save three people in your community. Once you get over that fear you feel great because you feel like a hero, because you’ve done something that not everyone can do.”
For more information about upcoming blood drives and promotions, visit their website, obi.org. All units of blood donated at a MCN tribal complex site will help the tribe in the challenge. Starting in September, all blood donors will receive a “Wicked” movie-themed T-shirt.
