News Release May 09, 2006

Bonfils Blood Center to Recognize Exempla Lutheran Medical Center for 30-Year Partnership

For more information contact:
Julie Scott 303.361.2873
Bonfils Blood Center

DENVER (May 09, 2006) - Bonfils Blood Center will honor Exempla Lutheran Medical Center Thursday, May 11 with a blood drive achievement award in recognition of their 30-year commitment to the community blood supply as a blood drive host. Bonfils CEO Thomas C. Puckett will present Bob Malte, president and CEO of Exempla Lutheran Medical Center with a “30 Years of Saving Lives” award during their 2:30 p.m. celebration in appreciation of the medical center’s long-standing dedication to saving and enhancing lives. In addition, Blood Drive Liaison and Administrative Assistant for Volunteer Services for the medical center, Chantelle Cobourn will receive a special certificate of appreciation for her help coordinating drives over the years.

Over the last 30 years, Lutheran Medical Center has collected more than 4,000 units of blood to support the community blood supply which saved or enhanced the lives of up to 12,000 patients in need of blood transfusions. In the last five years alone Exempla Lutheran Medical Center has collected 618 units of blood and currently generously hosts six blood drives per year – the maximum number of times a person may donate whole blood in a year – with an average of 24 donors participating in each drive.

Exempla Lutheran Medical Center’s next blood drive will be held Thursday, May 18 from 10 to 11:40 a.m. and noon to 3:30 p.m. in the Bonfils bloodmobile located in the east parking lot of the medical center. Please contact Bonfils’ appointment center at 303.363.2300 or visit www.bonfils.org to schedule a donation appointment.

Bonfils Blood Center supplies blood to more than 200 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.

Exempla Lutheran Medical Center has been serving patients in Wheat Ridge for 100 years and remains deeply committed to the community by providing superior health care services. Over the years, Lutheran hospital has been named “Favorite hospital of Denver Metro” in a consumer poll by Sachs/Scarborough HealthPlus. In addition to having been named seven times in Solucient’s prestigious 100 Top Hospitals, Benchmarks for Success, Solucient has also recognized Lutheran for its “Outstanding Orthopedic Care.” What’s more, the Medical Center has been recognized as Denver’s Top Heart Hospital - an honor earned by consistently providing comprehensive and compassionate cardiovascular care to the people of Colorado.