News Release January 13, 2006

Military Requests Blood from Bonfils Blood Center

For more information contact:
Julie Scott 303.361.2873
Bonfils Blood Center

DENVER (January 13, 2005) - Bonfils Blood Center was asked this week to provide blood to help support the military’s blood needs. Bonfils shipped units of blood on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 12 and 13 to a designated military location. At the same time Bonfils is encouraging the public to resolve to save lives and give blood in recognition of National Blood Donor Month.

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 however the blood center is already experiencing a drop in donations this winter. Blood donations decline up to 20 percent in the winter months due to poor weather conditions and colds and flu. 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.

Donating blood is one of the easiest ways to give back to your community. It could be you who saves a life in 2006. As a token of appreciation, donors who give blood through Saturday, Jan. 28 will receive a Bonfils Blood Center fleece hat.

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 opt. 2.