There has been a whole lot of talk about change lately – nationally, locally, and even personally, change has been a common subject of conversation. Our national healthcare system is embarking on some of the most drastic changes in history. Lately, my Facebook page has been filled with endless posts of what may be considered the quintessential symbol of change in the lives of parents and children – the first day of school picture. And of course, as everyone in blood banking knows, our industry is changing at a fast and furious pace, with many discussions among blood bank leaders focusing on what we can do to keep up.
All these changes can be daunting and make me think of the famous musical “Stop the World I Want to Get Off” – a sentiment I am sure many of you have experienced in the rapidly evolving blood banking environment. I too experienced that feeling this past fall when we started a strategic planning process for the Foundation for America’s Blood Centers (FABC). After coming on board with the FABC in March 2012, I felt I had finally hit my groove in this position and was frankly a little uneasy about the possibility of having to learn the job all over again.
Then I realized – talk of change does not mean we’ve been doing it all wrong. It simply means that every once in a while, we need to stop, look around, and make sure that what we are doing makes sense in terms of meeting our organization’s goal. The FABC’s goal is pretty simple. The name really says it all – The FoundationFORAmerica’s Blood Centers – we strive to serve the members of America’s Blood Centers.
So really, we are not changing a single thing. We are merely seeking to improve our mission of serving ABC’s member blood centers. The best way to do this is to align ourselves more strategically with the ABC Core Values, providing more grants to support the programs that ABC members value the most.
However, amid a world of change, one thing seems to remain constant – people need blood. The FABC remains committed to providing patients with that lifeline to a second chance. By embracing change and refocusing our efforts to better meet the needs of the ABC membership, we are enabling ABC’s member centers to continue providing life-saving blood products. Perhaps all these changes will even lead us closer to our ultimate goal of providing safe blood for every person who needs it. Now that’s a change for the better.
Jodi Zand, Director of Fund Development, The Foundation for America’s Blood Centers; JZand@americasblood.org