Hurricane Helene Impacts Blood Supply: Blood Donors Needed Now

PIEDMONT, SC, Sept. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Blood Connection (TBC), announced today that their blood products inventory is at a critical level in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Though TBC worked vigilantly through the storm to continue operations, the storm caused several centers to be without power and water, as well as grounded their bloodmobiles due to dangerously high wind gusts and flooding.

As a result of not being able to take donations during the storm, TBC has lost hundreds of platelet donors and countless more whole blood donors.

It’s vital that community members step up today to replenish the blood supply by donating platelets and blood. Local hospitals are counting on TBC to have blood products for their patients which is why we need eligible donors to find a donation center or mobile blood drive now. 

TBC needs to collect about 1,000 units of blood daily to sustain local hospital needs.

The Blood Connection is working diligently to make sure that no hospital, EMS, or air transport service is forced to forgo care for a patient because they do not have the blood products they need.

Donation centers have extended hours from 7AM-7PM today, Sunday, September 29^th, and are open from 7AM-7PM Monday through Friday this week. Donors willing to answer the call to donate blood or platelets may do so at the following donation centers:

• Asheville (225 Airport Road, Arden, NC)
• Hendersonville (825 Spartanburg Highway, Spartanburg, NC)
• Raleigh (5925 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC)
• Wake Forest (2115 S Main Street, Wake Forest, NC)
• Rock Hill (1157 Herrons Ferry Road, Rock Hill, SC)
• Charleston (5870 Core Road, North Charleston, SC)
• Myrtle Beach (1217 38^TH Avenue North, Myrtle Beach, SC)
• Florence (1617 S Irby Street, Florence, SC)
• Spartanburg (270 N. Grove Medical Park Drive, Spartanburg, SC)
• Lexington (5141 Sunset Boulevard, Lexington, SC)
• Greenville (435 Woodruff Road, Greenville, SC)
• Easley (5116 Calhoun Memorial Road, Easley, SC)
• Seneca (1308 Sandifer Boulevard, Seneca, SC)
• Greenwood (341 Old Abbeville Highway, Greenwood, SC)
• Roanoke (4873 Valley View Blvd NW, Roanoke, VA)

Appointments are encouraged, walk-ins are welcome. To make an appointment, or find a mobile blood drive near you, visit thebloodconnection.org/donate. As a thank you for their time and donation during this critical time of need, platelet donors will receive $75 bonus rewards Sunday, September 29^th through Saturday, October 5^th. Whole blood donors in centers will receive $70 in TBC rewards as a thank you and whole blood donors on mobile drives will receive $50 rewards. O negative and O positive donors will receive $50 bonus rewards Sunday, September 29^th through Wednesday, October 2^nd.

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 120 hospitals within South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia. 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 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more information, visit thebloodconnection.org.

CONTACT: Ellen Kirtner
The Blood Connection
9842221104
ekirtner@thebloodconnection.org