News Release June 23, 2005

Military Requests Blood from Bonfils Blood Center

For more information contact:
Julie Wedding 303.361.2873
Bonfils Blood Center

DENVER (June 23, 2005) - As a national leader in resource sharing, Bonfils Blood Center is already being looked to by blood centers to support a national blood shortage in advance of a long holiday weekend. Now, Bonfils Blood Center has been asked to provide blood to help support the military’s blood needs.

Bonfils Blood Center, in conjunction with a national agreement made by America's Blood Centers (ABC), a network of community blood centers that collects nearly half of the nation's blood supply, is designated one of six national "hub centers" to provide blood for military support when it is needed during wartime.

Bonfils was able to fill the military’s request for blood today however the blood center is already experiencing a drop in donations this summer. Bonfils needs the public to come forward and make an appointment to donate blood so that we can meet our community’s needs and to be in a position to deliver blood to the military if called upon again. While the military collects its own blood and relies foremost on that blood for its troops, Bonfils Blood Center was prepared to fulfill part of the military blood needs not met by primary sources.

“We are pleased to have been asked and able to support our military during wartime,” said Jessica Maitland, senior vice president of community relations for Bonfils Blood Center. “As we approach the July 4th holiday – a time when donations decrease up to 20 percent – we encourage our generous community to donate blood so that we may be prepared to assist not only patients in Colorado and throughout the nation but also to support our troops.” Bonfils Blood Center supplies blood to more than 115 healthcare facilities and needs to collect 4,350 blood donations weekly to meet the needs of the community and to be prepared for any unexpected events. For information about scheduling a blood donation, please visit www.bonfils.org or call (303) 363-2300 or (800) 365.0006 option 2.