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Blood From Michigan Donors Sent To Armed Forces
GRAND RAPIDS, MI (April 19, 2007): Michigan Community Blood Centers is taking part in a national effort by community blood banks to support military blood needs. Since January this year, more than 300 units of blood components collected by Michigan Community Blood Centers from donors in four regions of the state have been shipped to McGuire Air Force Base, where a blood transshipment center organizes and coordinates blood supplies to support military personnel in various areas of operation, including Iraq.
According to Toni Gould, communications director for Michigan Community Blood Centers statewide, the local blood bank is taking part in an ongoing, coast-to-coast effort by members of America’s Blood Centers, a nationwide network of community blood banks. America’s Blood Centers was the first national blood collection agency to sign a supply agreement with the US Dept. of Defense after the Iraq war started in 2003.
“The armed forces regularly operate their own comprehensive blood banking service, which usually is adequate to meet the blood needs of military personnel,” Gould explained. “But wartime presents special needs, and at these times they occasionally request support from civilian blood banks. Through the America’s Blood Centers network, Michigan Community Blood Centers is glad to be able to support the military whenever they need our help.”
America’s Blood Centers links 77 independent, community blood banks across the US and Canada, which together provide 50% of the American blood supply and 100% of the Canadian blood supply.
Like blood for the civilian blood supply, the blood that Michigan Community Blood Centers has sent to aid US armed forces came entirely from volunteer donors. Statewide, Michigan Community Blood Centers collects blood in four major, multi-county regions with a total population exceeding 1.5 million. The nonprofit blood bank regularly provides 100% of the blood supply for 22 hospital facilities across the state.
© Michigan Community Blood Centers
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