Carilion Clinic Selects New Blood Provider

ROANOKE, VA (November 15, 2023) – Carilion Clinic, a not-for-profit integrated health system
headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, has partnered with The Blood Connection (TBC) for its blood
product needs. This agreement is effective Dec. 31, 2023. TBC is a non-profit 501(c)(3) community
blood center and the primary blood provider for more than 120 hospitals in Virginia, South Carolina,
North Carolina, and Georgia.

TBC plans to open donation centers locally and will serve our community though hosting mobile blood
drives. Expanding into the Roanoke community will allow TBC to increase donor collection
opportunities. With this partnership, blood donors can feel confident knowing their donations are helping
our community and neighbors.

“Carilion is excited about our new blood services partnership with The Blood Connection,” said Carilion
President and Chief Operating Officer Steve Arner. “TBC is dedicated to supplying our local blood product needs
and being involved in the community. We encourage blood donors to support TBC’s future blood drives to help
them ensure our region has adequate blood to help us care for our patients.”

“We are honored to partner with Carilion Clinic to provide these lifesaving blood products to local
patients,” said Delisa English, President and CEO of TBC. “Local blood donors make the difference in
sustaining the community blood supply and preventing blood shortages. All blood products used by
patients at Carilion will be provided exclusively by TBC. We will immediately begin efforts to collect
blood products in the community and are seeking blood donors and organizations who are willing to
support this partnership and the local blood supply by sponsoring blood drives.”

Despite national blood shortages, TBC has continuously proven to be a reliable and dedicated partner for
local hospitals – committing itself to ensuring blood products are readily available through volunteer
blood donors. TBC adheres to the same high-quality standards as Carilion and is regulated by the FDA
and Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB).
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion while only three percent of the eligible
population donates. 4.5 million Americans will be impacted by a blood donation every year. Surgery
patients, accident victims, patients with cancer and newborn babies rely on the local blood supply.
Although TBC is responsible for keeping the blood supply stable, it cannot replicate blood; it must be
donated. TBC urges the community to donate blood to ensure that hospitals needs are uninterrupted. TBC
also encourages and welcomes local schools, businesses, churches, and organizations, to be part of the
connection as a blood drive host. To learn more about hosting a blood drive, please visit thebloodconnection.org/host.

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