Published by Kirby Winn on Wednesday, January 2, 2019 in Archive
Donations during National Volunteer Blood Donor Month help recoup from lost collection days due to holidays
Davenport, Iowa – During the month of January – National Volunteer Blood Donor Month – Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center (MVRBC) thanks donors who support the blood supply throughout the year and especially after the busy holiday season. The rate of blood donation during the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s holidays is not sufficient to meet patient needs, so MVRBC is seeking additional appointments to help strengthen the blood supply and prepare for potential losses due to winter weather. To find a Donor Center or mobile blood drive, please call (800) 747-5401, schedule online at www.bloodcenterIMPACT.org, or use MVRBC’s mobile app (info and links to download at www.bloodcenter.org/app).
Through Jan. 13, all donors who present to give blood at MVRBC Donor Centers and mobile blood drives will receive a voucher to redeem for a $10 gift card from either Amazon or Starbucks. Beginning Jan. 14, through Feb. 24, donors at MVRBC Donor Centers and mobile blood drives will receive a voucher for MVRBC’s “Love to Give” T-shirt.
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While the Blood Center experiences ups and downs in the rate of blood donation throughout the year, the number of donations needed for patient care remains constant. Hospitals served by MVRBC currently have an adequate inventory, but Donor Schedulers are working to increase appointment schedules to avoid a shortfall in collections that could potentially impact patient care.
“We don’t ever want to be in that position,” said Amanda Hess, Director, Donor and Public Relations. “That’s why we’re so grateful for the donors who provide for our blood supply during National Volunteer Blood Donor Month and throughout the year,”
January has been designated the National Volunteer Blood Donor Month because this month that can present some of the greatest challenges for the blood supply: extreme weather, an increase in illnesses, and the need to recover from losses due to the holidays all contribute to the increased need for donors.
About Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center
Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center (MVRBC), based in Davenport, Iowa, serves 89 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin, as well as resource sharing partners across the country. The 501(c)(3) not-for-profit blood center was established in 1974 and operates as Central Illinois Community Blood Center (Springfield, Illinois) and Community Blood Services of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana, Illinois). The Blood Center’s service region extends from southwestern Wisconsin to St. Louis, Missouri and from Danville, Illinois to Albia, Iowa, an area with a population of more than 4-million residents. For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org.
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