News Release July 26, 2006

Bonfils Prepares to Send Blood to U.S. Military Forces

For more information contact:
Julie Scott 303.361.2873
Bonfils Blood Center

DENVER (July 26, 2006) - Bonfils Blood Center is today preparing blood products for shipment to U.S. military forces on Thursday, July 27 at approx. 4 p.m. Thursday's shipment is the third of four shipments that will be made to support the military’s most recent request for blood products through a partnership with the Department of Defense. Bonfils is one of just three blood centers across the nation solicited to support this specific request.

While Bonfils was able to fill the military’s request for blood, the blood center is already experiencing a 20 percent drop in donations this summer. Therefore shipments to the military were staggered over a four week period in order to have the most minimal impact on the community blood supply. A forth shipment is scheduled to be sent the week of July 31. Bonfils encourages 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.

“We are pleased to have once again been asked and able to support our military during wartime,” said Jessica Maitland, vice president of marketing and community operations for Bonfils Blood Center. “We certainly encourage our generous community to donate blood throughout the year, but particularly in these slow summer months so that we may continue to be prepared to assist patients in Colorado and throughout the nation as well as our troops.”

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.

Volunteers who give blood now through Sept. 9 will receive a Bonfils license plate holder and a cling car sticker in appreciation for their donation.

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 or (800) 365-0006 opt. 2.