| Affiliated with the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), the Regional Medical Center’s Blood Assurance Program is a private, community-based program that relies on donations from members of our own community to support the medical center’s blood transfusion needs. The program is supported by individual donors as well as numerous and various donor groups.
RMC’s newly-themed and decorated Bloodmobile, a self-contained vehicle, made its inaugural trip in April. The current mobile unit has been in operation for about 10 years and was purchased for the Blood Assurance Program through donations coordinated by the RMC Foundation, RMC Volunteer Auxiliary, and Junior Service League. The Bloodmobile has allowed access to many blood donors who would not otherwise be able to participate.
“From churches and civic organizations, to schools and manufacturing plants, there is diversity in how people come together to sponsor and recruit donors for a blood drive,” commented Gary Ferguson, RMC’s manager of laboratory services. “These special groups serve a vital role in meeting the blood needs of Orangeburg County, Calhoun County and surrounding communities.” One such important donor group is our industrial and commercial employers who sponsor blood drives at their place of business for their employees.
According to Ferguson, industrial, commercial and governmental employers in our region offer a special means of support for the Blood Assurance Program by allowing their employees an opportunity to donate blood at their place of work. “This convenience is often recognized as a good employee retention tool,” he said.
“Overwhelmingly, employees from companies who host on-site blood drives say they value the opportunity to donate blood at work, and view it as a ‘benefit’ that their employers provide,” added BAP Coordinator Shea Woodward. “Blood donors are very special people who truly care about others, and we (the Blood Assurance Program) also recognize the value of the commitment that employers make for allowing this opportunity.”
By hosting blood drives employers:
* Provide their employees a convenient opportunity to perform a life-saving community service
* Give employees another reason to value their relationship with their employer
* Demonstrate a commitment to the health of the community
* Help keep the cost of providing blood down, which helps keep the cost of healthcare down
* Receive recognition for community support and become a model for other organizations.
To be eligible to donate blood, a person must weigh at least 110 pounds. The minimum age requirement for blood donors is 17, with parental permission. There is no maximum age limit, as long as a person is healthy. The entire process takes about 30 minutes; about 10 minutes for screening, 10 for donating a pint, and about 10 to “rest” and have some juice before leaving.
Individual membership in the program requires only one pint of blood per year to ensure that the blood needs of a BAP member and his/her dependents are covered for that year. Coverage extends to other institutions in the United States through blood credits from AABB.
Groups who are business/industrial members host blood drives at their convenience for their employees to donate blood. Employees of companies or members of organizations who are business/industrial members (and their dependents) have BAP coverage based on the number of units donated by the organization. RMC’s Bloodmobile makes three to four visits a week to area industries, businesses, schools, churches and civic groups.
An additional BAP benefit is life membership for individual members who have donated two or more gallons of blood over a period of years. This provides coverage of the member (and his/her dependents) should the member become ineligible due to age or physical conditions.
Please contact the Blood Assurance Coordinator, Shea Woodward at 395-2419 if you are interested in becoming a blood donor and/or hosting a blood drive. Located on RMC’s first floor, the Blood Bank is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday (except holidays). After-hours appointments can be arranged.
| CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING INDUSTRIES |
| Allied Air Enterprises |
| AgSouth Farm Credit |
| Albemarle Corporation |
| Carpenter Technology |
| CF Evans |
| Community Bank Shares |
| Community Resource Bank |
| Cox Wood Preserving |
| Delavan |
| Department of Public Utilities |
| Department of Social Services |
| SC Department of Transportation Bamberg & Orangeburg |
| Federal Mogul Friction Products |
| Food Lion |
| Georgia-Pacific |
| Grove Park Pharmacy |
| Gulbrandsen Manufacturing |
| Holcim, Inc. |
| Husqvarna |
| Lee's Sausage |
| Longwood Plantation |
| Mayer Industries |
| McCall-Thomas Engineering |
| Okonite |
| Orangeburg County Health Department |
| Orangeburg County Sheriff's Department "Blood for Bail" |
| Phoenix Specialty Mfg. |
| Santee Cooper Resort |
| SCE&G Cope Plant |
| South Carolina Bank & Trust |
| Starflo Corp. |
| Still-Walter Tool & Manufacturing |
| Sun Printing Inc. |
| The Methodist Oaks |
| The Times & Democrat |
| Tobul Accumulator |
| Tri-County Electric |
| Tuthill Corporation |
| Wal-Mart |
| Whitman Mold |
| Zeus of Gaston |
| Zeus Of Orangeburg |
| Zeus Sales and Marketing |
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