The Blood Connection (TBC), based in Greenville, SC, is now supplying blood products to Abbeville Area Medical Center, Cannon Memorial Hospital, and Elbert Memorial Hospital.
On January 1, 2019, TBC began serving these additional hospitals, which solidifies the partnership between AnMed Health and The Blood Connection that began in 2018 when TBC merged with AnMed Blood Services. This resulted in TBC becoming the only blood services provider to all of the hospitals in the upstate of SC, as well as northeast Georgia.
The Blood Connection is the largest independently managed, non-profit community blood center in the region, licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. TBC has been the sole blood provider for all of the other hospitals in the region since the early 1960’s.
“We are honored to be able to support the health of people in this region, and we are grateful for each new opportunity to connect donors with recipients,” said Delisa K. English, TBC President and CEO. “We hope that all people in these communities will join us by donating blood that will serve friends, family and neighbors. For the victim of a car crash to the cancer patient who depends on platelets, the need for volunteer blood donations is great. When you give blood with The Blood Connection you are ensuring that the people of this community will have the blood products available to save their lives.”
The Blood Connection is currently expanding its donor collection opportunities in the upstate of SC and northeast Georgia. “In addition to the wonderful donors who have supported us throughout SC and Georgia, we’re looking forward to working with more blood donors from these counties-Abbeville, Pickens, and Elberton,” English said. “This is an opportunity to serve more people, help more patients and save more lives. Please come out to our bloodmobiles or one of our donor centers and give blood. You can also help by hosting a blood drive at your business, church, school or other organization.”
Every two seconds, someone in the US needs a life-saving blood transfusion, and volunteer donors are the only source of blood and platelets. Maintaining an adequate blood supply requires a delicate balancing effort that monitors available supply versus expected demand. Donated blood must be constantly replenished because it has a limited shelf life. Community blood banks focus on fulfilling the blood supply needs of a single region. In locally-driven operations, neighbors are helping neighbors, but only through a partnership with the community.
Donors can visit thebloodconnection.org to find a nearby blood drive or to schedule a donation appointment. Donors can also call (864) 751-3019 for more information.