Blood Advocacy Week launches April 24-28

April 19, 2023

National initiative highlights importance of blood supply for community health

BEDFORD, TEXAS – April 19, 2023 – Carter BloodCare and America’s Blood Centers (ABC) are partnering on the inaugural Blood Advocacy Week April 24 – 28.

This nationwide collaboration brings together members of the U.S. blood community, legislators, agency decision-makers, advocates and others to discuss and advance policies reinforcing the importance of a safe, accessible blood supply.

To support this new initiative, ABC — the national organization of community-based, independent blood centers that provide 60% of the U.S. blood supply — has created BloodAdvocacyWeek.org. The website offers details on advocacy priorities, information on changes that can be made to strengthen the blood supply, shareable social media and video content, links to virtual events, and more.

Dozens of diverse partners have signed on to support Blood Advocacy Week, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ADRP, Blood Centers of America, Civil Air Patrol, the Crescent Foundation, Elks, Fresenius Kabi, Georgia Health Policy Center, GLAAD, Health Professions Week, HOSA Future Health Professionals, the National Hemophilia Foundation, Operation Pulse Lift, Sickle Cell Foundation of Minnesota, the Student Leadership Council, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, Thalassemia International Federation, the Thrive with Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency Organization, University Blood Initiative, and Whitman-Walker Health.

In addition to Carter BloodCare, participating community blood centers include Blood Assurance, Community Blood Center (Appleton), Community Blood Center-Dayton, the Blood Center (New Orleans), Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, Houchin Community Blood Bank, LIFELINE Blood Services, LifeServe Blood Center, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, MEDIC Regional Blood Center, Miller-Keystone Blood Center, Rock River Valley Blood Center, San Diego Blood Bank, Shepeard Community Blood Center, South Texas Blood and Tissue, The Blood Connection, Versiti, and Vitalant.

“Growing and diversifying the nation’s donor base and ensuring the long-term resilience of America’s blood supply takes everyone. America’s Blood Centers is proud to launch this new collaboration to bring together those touched by the lifesaving power of blood to advance policies that promote the value of blood to patients, communities, and our health care system,” said Kate Fry, Chief Executive Officer of America’s Blood Centers.

About America’s Blood Centers

Founded in 1962, America’s Blood Centers is the national organization bringing together community-based, independent blood centers. Its member organizations operate more than 600 blood collection sites providing close to 60% of the U.S., and a quarter of the Canadian, blood supply. These blood centers serve more than 150 million people and provide blood products and services to more than 3,500 hospitals and health care facilities across North America. All ABC U.S. members are licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

About Carter BloodCare

Carter BloodCare is an independent, community blood center providing transfusion resources to more than 200 medical facilities in 50-plus counties of North, Central and East Texas. The nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization is one of the largest blood programs in Texas, delivering more than 440,000 blood products annually to meet hospitals’ requirements for their patients. Services include collection, processing, specialized laboratory testing, storage and distribution of blood and blood products.