By Red Cross volunteer Harriet Vanderbilt

“I am a people lover”, declared Brianna Buchanan. When she decided to seek a career in healthcare, she wanted to find a pathway that led to one-on-one connection with the people she touched. In recognition of Phlebotomist Recognition Week, the Red Cross Cascades Region honors phlebotomists like Brianna who have dedicated their lives to blood donation services.

Brianna joined the Red Cross as a phlebotomist in 2018 in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2021, she relocated to Vancouver. “My team and I are a mobile unit, covering Washington State, from Seattle in the north, to Goldendale in the east and Long Beach to the west. Although she is based in Vancouver, she is rarely there. “My team and I love to spend time in Long Beach. We like to spend downtime there”.

“Normally, my team consists of 5 or 6 fellow phlebotomists. On big blood drives, there will be 8 or 9 of us. To prepare for a blood drive, team members come to Vancouver to ready the supplies”, explained Brianna.

The team takes histories of the prospective donors and then does the blood draw. The process of donating is quick, normally 5 to 10 minutes. Combined with history-gathering, donors can expect to be at the blood drive about 45 minutes.

“My staff is very good at calming people. I hope that more folks will consider blood donation. It will save a life” explained Brianna.

“I love talking to the donors. I love to learn all about their lives-their families, their jobs, their hobbies and their travels.” One particular donor stands out in her mind. An elderly lady came into a drive. They started chatting and Brianna learned that she decided to become a donor because of her husband. He had passed away some time ago.

Brianna learned that receiving blood had helped her husband to extend his life because of the generous donations. “These blood donors gave the couple more time together. Both I, and the lovely lady, ended up in tears. The story stuck with me!”

Phlebotomist Recognition Week, February 9-13, 2026, is organized by the American Medical Technologists (AMT). It recognizes the vital role phlebotomists play in healthcare by collecting blood for tests, transfusions and donations. The phlebotomist masters the art of collecting specimens skillfully. Their attention to detail is critical to assure accuracy.

The skillful phlebotomist must locate veins, use the correct equipment and be aware of every detail. Precision and donor comfort are vital. The field of Phlebotomy is ever-increasing due to an ever-growing and aging population. The blood draw and testing is often the foundation of diagnosing a medical condition.

Join with the Cascades Region Red Cross to honor phlebotomists across Oregon and SW Washington. Brianna encourages anyone interested in becoming a phlebotomist to learn more on the Cascades Region web site. Hands-on training is available at the Vancouver office. Be a life saver!

To learn more, visit www.redcross.org/cascades for detailed information. Make an appointment to donate blood at RedCrossBlood.org