The need for blood products as vital parts of life-saving medical procedures and treatments is constant. As summer begins to hit its stride, the need for these blood products in the community significantly increases while blood donor turnout typically drops.

The Blood Connection (TBC), your community blood center which serves local hospitals, wants to make the public aware of an urgent need for blood right now and urges the communities it serves to celebrate this Independence Day by volunteering to donate blood to fellow Americans – their neighbors in need – during TBC’s Freedom Week promotion July 1-4. 

According to AAA, an estimated 70.9 million Americans are expected to travel more than 50 miles from their homes during the entire week of July 4th this year. With the increase in travel during the summer months, hospitals in our communities have historically seen an increased volume of trauma cases. This is why TBC is urging any community member who is willing, to come out and donate blood.  The local life-saving organization stresses that it is the blood on the shelves – waiting in case of trauma events - that saves lives.

“It is imperative that the local community come forward to support the hospitals in their area during this time of urgent need for blood donations,” said Delisa English, President & CEO of The Blood Connection. “Unlike many of the other products used to treat trauma and other injuries, blood cannot be replaced through lab manufacturing or built on an assembly line. Blood must be donated from volunteer donors, who embody the selflessness that is a staple of our nation.”

TBC will have its donation centers open this entire week including July 4 and will continue hosting mobile blood drives July 1-4. As a thank you for donating during this time, all donors will receive $70 in rewards and an exclusive TBC Freedom Week t-shirt. To find a blood drive or center near you, visit thebloodconnection.org/donate. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are always welcome.

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About The Blood Connection

Founded in Greenville, SC, The Blood Connection has been committed to saving lives since 1962. TBC is an independently managed, not-for-profit, community blood center that provides blood products to over 130 hospitals within South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia. Recognized by the U.S. Congress for its dedication to disaster preparedness and the community, TBC works diligently to collect blood from volunteer donors to meet the ever-increasing demand. By keeping collections local, TBC serves hundreds of thousands of patients a year in its communities. TBC is licensed and regulated by theU.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more information, visit thebloodconnection.org.

Mark Shelley
The Blood Connection
8647511193
mshelley@thebloodconnection.org