PICKENS COUNTY — The Blood Connection has announced an urgent need for all blood types after the winter storm caused approximately 600 units of blood to go uncollected on Monday.

A strong donor response is needed in order to recover and meet hospital needs, said a spokesperson for the group.

“The path of the storm is impacting all of the divisions across our region,” said Delisa K. English, President and CEO of The Blood Connection. “Because of the cancellation of multiple blood drives yesterday and today, we urgently need our donors to come in to the closest donation center, as conditions permit, so that hospitals can care for patients in the storm’s path.”

All donation centers are open and operating as normal, they stated.

Following is a list of regional center locations:

• 435 Woodruff Road, Greenville

• 341 Old Abbeville Highway, Greenwood

• 5116 Calhoun Memorial Highway, Easley

• 1308 Sandifer Boulevard, Seneca

• 270 North Grove Medical Park Drive, Spartanburg

• 825 Spartanburg Highway, Hendersonville, N.C.

• 225 Airport Road, Arden, N.C.

• 5925 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, N.C.

“Missing just one collection day puts the blood supply in jeopardy. Lives depend on it. Hospitals and patients are counting on blood to be available—for cancer treatments, surgeries and the unexpected. We never want to imagine what could happen without it.”

Donors can also visit www.thebloodconnection.org to find a blood drive.

TBC’s mission is to ensure all hospital partners have the blood supplies needed for patients at any given time. Blood donors must be healthy, weigh at least 110 pounds and be 17 years old or 16 with written parental consent.

Founded as Greenville Blood Assurance in 1962, The Blood Connection (TBC) is the largest independently managed, non-profit community blood center in the region, licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

In South Carolina, TBC serves Greenville, Spartanburg, Cherokee, Union, Pickens, Oconee, Greenwood, McCormick, Anderson, Laurens, Newberry and Lexington counties. TBC also contracts with Med-Trans Air Medical Transport to serve Sumter, Marion, Dorchester, Colleton, Charleston and Berkeley counties.

In Georgia, TBC serves Stephens, Hall, and Barrow counties.

In 2011, TBC began serving Macon, Transylvania, Henderson, Polk, Buncombe, McDowell and Mitchell counties in Western North Carolina. In 2017, TBC expanded services to include Wake, Durham, Orange, Forsyth, Rowan and Pitt counties.

For more information, please visit thebloodconnection.org

Blood donors must be healthy, weigh at least 110 pounds and be 17 years old or 16 with written parental consent.
https://www.sentinelprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_blood.jpgBlood donors must be healthy, weigh at least 110 pounds and be 17 years old or 16 with written parental consent. Courtesy photo

https://www.sentinelprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_tbc.jpgCourtesy photo

Over 600 units went uncollected due to weather-related canceled blood drives.
https://www.sentinelprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_blood1.jpgOver 600 units went uncollected due to weather-related canceled blood drives. Courtesy photo

A strong donor response is needed in order to recover and meet hospital needs.
https://www.sentinelprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_blood2.jpgA strong donor response is needed in order to recover and meet hospital needs. Courtesy photo
Without blood donations, hospital supplies could be interrupted.

By Kasie Strickland

kstrickland@cmpapers.com

Reach Kasie Strickland at 864-855-0355.