Kim Jones, Director of Sponsorship Development and Public Relations for Community Blood Center of the Carolinas spoke to Hickory Rotary Club about the challenge to maintain adequate blood supplies to meet the needs of local and area medical centers. Statistically, 1 in 7 people who enter a hospital will need blood. Each day more than 400 blood products are needed to meet this demand. Daily blood demand exceeds unexpected needs that occur in the event of a natural disaster or tragedy.
The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas is an independent, locally-managed, non-profit community blood center. CBCC is the primary blood supplier to the region’s patients and hospitals, including Frye Regional Medical Center and Catawba Valley Medical Center.
CBCC’s mission is to be the steward of a community resource; life saving blood. CBCC collects blood from the community to return it to the community at the lowest possible cost, consistent with the highest standards of quality.
CBCC is a member of America’s Blood Centers, a group of 76 independent blood centers that supplies 50 percent of the country’s blood. CBCC subscribes to a community-based blood banking philosophy. That means community donors know that the blood they give stays in our community first — helping family members, friends and neighbors. Excess supply is shared with other communities when needed.
In our community, there are countless stories of patients battling illness. A common element in many of these stories is blood – red blood cells, platelets and plasma. The availability of blood products is often the difference between life and death. Every time you donate blood or sponsor a blood drive with Community Blood Center of the Carolinas, you’re supporting the life of someone in our own community; a young cancer patient, an African American with sickle cell disease, an adult undergoing a transplant, or an accident victim. Supporting CBCC saves local lives and keeps families whole. Together, we are building and strengthening the bonds of community.
CBCC is the primary blood supplier to the region’s patients and hospitals, serving residents that live in 16 NC counties and three SC counties: Alexander, Anson, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lee, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties in North Carolina and Chester, Lancaster and York counties in South Carolina. Residents in these counties are served by our 21 regional hospital partners.
CBCC is pleased to announce the opening of a new local donor center located at 2217 Highway 70 SE in Hickory, NC. This new location will make it even easier for donors in the Hickory area to help save local lives. Blood and platelet donors are needed now for local patients.
Please join us on Thursday May 9th at St Luke’s United Methodist Church for the annual Rotary Blood Drive! For an appointment please e-mail Hickory Rotarian Frank Young or feel free to walk in between 1:00pm-6:00pm.
CBCC is always looking to partner with churches, schools, businesses, community groups, government offices etc. If you or your group would like to sponsor a drive of your own please call 704-972-4727. For more information visit www.cbcc.us or contact Kim by phone 704-972-4727 or via e-mail kljones@cbcc.us.
