Points for Platelets

Jun 10, 2019 | cBlog, Education, Promotions

So what’s the deal with platelets?

Platelets are small fragments in our blood that help stop bleeding. Platelets may be tiny, but they’re POWERFUL. They’re little life-savers for the many brave people who are battling cancer. Chances are, someone you know came to mind. Cancer treatments can reduce the number of platelets in patients’ blood. A low platelet count is not a good thing. That’s where our loyal donors come in! Thanks to platelet donations, patients are able to get back the platelets their bodies need to get better. While platelets are primarily used to help cancer patients, others benefit from them too, like people with rare blood diseases or transplant patients.

QUICK FACTS
-Small cell fragments in the blood that help stop or prevent bleeding
-Made in our bone marrow
-Shelf life is only 5 days
-Used most commonly for surgeries, transplants, and cancer treatments

Now to the good news! You can donate platelets every seven days (max 24 times a year)! So you can be a superhero every week! AND we’re rewarding your selfless act with TBC Rewards Points! Keep in mind, donating platelets takes a little longer than a whole blood donation and can only be done in a center. Through one needle stick and a super fancy machine, your blood is taken and the platelets are filtered out. The rest of your blood components are then given back to you through the same needle. It takes about an hour and a half. Feel free to enjoy your favorite TV shows and snacks on us!

For platelet promotions and bonus point announcements, check our Facebook page.

Donations can only be made at a TBC Center. Please call your local center with any questions or to make an appointment.

MORE INFO: Click here for a little more explanation about what donation type is best for your blood type.

To our loyal platelet donors, THANK YOU! Because of you, people in our community are living better, healthier lives.

Request A Custom Package

Platelet & Cryo Pricing

Package 1

$700

Platelets - 4 day shelf life

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Package 2

$400

Pooled Cryo - 180+ day shelf life

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Blood Type Inventory & Pricing

Package 3

$195

3 Week+ Shelf Life

45 - O+, 30 - A+, 14 - B+, 5 - O-, 5 - A-, 1 - B-

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Package 4

$195

3 Week+ Shelf Life

45 - O+, 30 - A+, 14 - B+, 5 - O-, 5 - A-, 1 - B-

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Package 5

$120

3 Week+ Shelf Life

100 A+

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Celebrate World Blood Donor Day with TBC

Jun 7, 2019 | cBlog, Education, Events, News

Celebrate World Blood Donor Day with TBC

Be part of a world-wide movement of people donating blood on World Blood Donor Day! The Blood Connection (TBC) has donation centers and mobiles all over North or South Carolina to make sure you can take part!

Friday, June 14th is World Blood Donor Day 2019 and this year’s campaign recognizes the need for safe blood for all. TBC is joining organizations in the US and around the world to acknowledge the constant need and to celebrate blood donors who are committed to saving lives.

“We want our blood donors to feel as special they are, for saving lives every day through their generous blood donations,” said TBC President and CEO, Delisa English. “We also hope to inspire more people throughout the community to donate blood regularly, and often.”

Health is a human right; everyone in the world should have access to safe blood transfusions, whenever and wherever they need them. The need for blood products is universal, but access to safe blood and blood products varies greatly across and within countries. It starts with donating local.

Special events by region:

– Eastern North Carolina:

June 14th – Raleigh TBC Donation Center – 5925 Glenwood Avenue

Miss North Carolina, Laura Matrazzo, will be visiting the center from 2:30-4:30 p.m. and Miss Garner’s Outstanding Teen, Ashton Britt, will be there from 11a.m.-2 p.m. The community and media are welcome to attend and meet them.

– Upstate South Carolina:

June 14th & 15th – Spartanburg and Greenville Donation Centers

Join WSSL 100, for a country-lovin’ blood drive! They’ll have your favorite country tunes playing when you come donate with TBC. The simple act of donating blood will get you 2 tickets to hang with Locash, Russell Dickerson, Dylan Scott, and Rachel Wammack, and Joe Lasher at the Pickin’ in the Park concert in Spartanburg! We’ll also hook you up with a Country’s in My Blood t-shirt to show off that country pride.

– Western North Carolina:

June 27th – WLOS Station – 110 Technology Drive

To round out the month of June, TBC is also teaming up with WLOS ABC13 for the 32nd Annual Operation Blood Drive. Donors can visit six different locations around Asheville to take part in OBD. Donors will also receive a special OBD t-shirt.

Sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), World Blood Donor Day celebrations bring a precious opportunity to celebrate all blood donors on a local, national and global level as well as to commemorate the birthday anniversary of Karl Landsteiner, a Nobel Prize winner credited for distinguishing the main blood groups in 1900.

Blood transfusions help save millions of lives every year around the world. Here in the Western North Carolina area, they help local patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer with a higher quality of life. Blood also has an essential, life-saving role in maternal and perinatal care, as well as people with traumatic injuries and patients undergoing surgical procedures. But an adequate blood supply can only be assured through regular donations by voluntary blood donors.

Blood donors must be 16 years old with parental consent, or 17 years old or older to donate. All donors must have a photo ID.

Click DONATE NOW to find your nearest location! Thank you for saving lives in our community!

Lyman teen and pageant queen shines as blood drive host and donor

May 13, 2019 | cBlog, Donor Spotlight, Education, Host Spotlight, News

Hailey Greer shines on and off the pageant stage

Miss River City Teen turns passion for blood donation into platform, donates blood for the first time on her 16th birthday

16-year-old Hailey Greer spent her sweet sixteen at the Blood Connection Donation Center in Spartanburg, giving back to her community. It’s not what you might expect from a high-schooler, but it’s no surprise for those who know Hailey. Some know her as the current Miss River City Teen or former Miss Powdersville. With a few pageant wins under her belt, she’s now in the running to become Miss South Carolina Teen, where a lot more people with get to know her and what she stands for. Hailey is using her contagious smile to spread the word about blood donation, making it her personal platform for Miss South Carolina.

Hailey started hosting drives when she was just a freshman at Byrnes High School. Her mother’s touching story is what drives Hailey to tell others about the life-saving power of blood donation. Her mother lost about half of her blood volume after Hailey was born. Since Hailey knows blood donations saved her mother’s life, she wants to help do that for others in her community. And when she started asking questions to her friends and family, she realized a lot of people around her have needed blood too. Doing her own research about blood transfusions fueled the fire, and she began encouraging her friends to donate at school.

“Just telling them [students] how much their blood can help somebody is normally what does it for them. And by giving blood, they feel like they have a purpose.”

Hailey has hosted almost 10 blood drives (and counting) with The Blood Connection, starting way before she was old enough to donate blood herself. Hailey donated for the first time with TBC at the Spartanburg Center on her birthday on May 19th, surrounded by her friends and family. She’s now in the club of local lifesavers!

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TBC is grateful for Hailey’s selfless dedication to her community and passion to serve as a blood drive host. She is truly an inspiration, juggling her school work, dance team practices, preparation for pageants, and learning how to drive, yet still making time to serve her community. Making connections in the community is what TBC is all about. Hailey is the perfect example of a caring connector, who has not only affected the lives of many local blood recipients but their families too. Soon she’ll be able to add “lifesaver” next to the long list of her titles. TBC wishes Hailey the best of luck at the Miss SC Teen pageant!

WYFF Channel 4 shared Hailey’s beautiful story as part of its Project CommUNITY series. Check it out!

The Spartanburg Donation Center is located at 270 N Grove Medical Park Dr. It’s open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m on the weekends. Blood donors must be healthy, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be 17 years old or 16 with written parental consent. Photo ID required. To reduce donation time, donors can make an appointment in advance.

Check out the TBC High School Program, which awards students like Hailey who are impacting their communities through blood donation and hosting blood drives.

Donate Blood

300th Donation: Danny Howard

May 3, 2019 | cBlog, Donor Spotlight

Loyal donor gives for the 300th time

Yep, 300 times…that’s dedication.

The Blood Connection is proud to celebrate Danny Howard as a loyal donor, who donated for the 300th time on May 1st, 2019 at the Woodruff Road Donation Center. Born and raised in Greenville, SC, Danny has been giving back to the community he calls home for more than 30 years. He started donating as a high school student (shout out to Greenville High), and the rest is history.

Get this–Danny has donated 37 gallons! That means he’s helped save A LOT of lives! As if that wasn’t enough, Danny has shown his loyalty by giving whatever we needed at the time, from red cells, to plasma, to platelets. He’s a true selfless hero.

“I want to give back to those who need it…it’s just something to give back to the community.”

It’s that simple, he says, giving back is the right thing to do. Danny is also a proud graduate of Clemson University, where he worked until his recent retirement. Now, he encourages his co-workers, neighbors, and others in his community to give back with him. He’s sharing life in more ways than one.

Danny is the perfect example of a local lifesaver who cares about his community. We’re lucky to have him as a donor in our Upstate community. Way to go Danny!

Loyal Donor, Hometown Hero

Mar 26, 2019 | cBlog, Donor Spotlight

Loyal Donor, Hometown Hero

While loyalty may be hard to find these days, The Blood Connection has found a proven loyal friend in Morris Gray, also known as “Mo.” He’s what some may call a super-donor. On March 24th, he donated blood for the 201st time at the TBC Easley Donation Center. For the past eight years, he’s donated consistently twice a month. So far this year, he’s already donated five times, bringing his donation total to 25 gallons! Morris’ donation story started back in 1996, when he gave blood for the first time with a coworker on a spur of the moment. That simple decision changed his life and has since saved countless others’ lives. Morris has certainly earned the ‘super-donor’ title; he can add it to his resume, right next to ‘lifesaver.’

Cancer patients are Morris’ inspiration for giving. He donates in honor of his friends who have battled the disease. He’s thankful to have the type of virus-free blood that cancer patients need, something he wouldn’t have known if he hadn’t donated years ago. Knowing his blood has the power to help patients in his hometown is what keeps him coming back. Morris also donates to feel more connected to his community. Since all of the blood TBC collects stays in the community, Morris is giving life to his fellow Upstate neighbors with every donation. He also gives his precious time to spread the word about the importance of giving blood. He’s a big advocate for donating at the TBC Easley Center, his home away from home.

“I enjoy the staff very much and their craziness – the good humor, laughter and the professional, caring attention they give me!”

It’s easy to celebrate a hometown hero like Morris. The Blood Connection is extremely grateful for his giving spirit and big impact he’s made in the community for the past 20 years. TBC hopes Morris’ story will inspire others to join an unstoppable team of loyal donors on a mission to save lives in the Upstate.