Donate Blood to Save Lives Aug. 24

With the region’s only designated Level I Trauma Center for adult and pediatric patients at CRMH, we are ready at a moment's notice to help patients in critical condition, facing an unimaginable crisis. Kaylee Stanley was one of those patients.

It’s impossible to predict the emergent situations that will enter our doors, but we can count on providing life-saving care for thousands of patients like Kaylee Stanley. In fact, as a Level I Adult Trauma Center, we’ve made a commitment to care for at least 1,200 trauma patients a year and an additional 200 or more injured patients under 15 years of age a year as a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center.

Our trauma work alone guarantees a need for blood to increase our patients' chance of survival. Additionally, our surgical, OB-GYN, pediatric and hematology/oncology, oncology, NICU teams and more regularly need blood to care for patients.

You Can Help!

Since the pandemic, our region’s need for blood donations has increased. The shortage is so great that we are partnering with LewisGale Medical Center for the upcoming Heroes Give Blood Here Blood Drive on Thursday, Aug. 24, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Berglund Center.

“As the region's academic medical center and only Level I trauma center, blood donations are vital to ensure that our patients receive the care that they need during some of their most difficult moments,” says Michael Abbott, senior vice president, Carilion Medical Center. “As our community grows, so does the need for blood donations."

Donors who schedule an appointment and donate blood not only help save a life at one of our hospitals or in our region but are entered into a drawing to win prizes from area businesses.

“The real win in blood donation is knowing you truly made a difference in somebody’s life—and in most cases it was the difference between life and death,” says Tim Auwarter, vice president, Hospital Administration.

All blood donations collected at the Heroes Give Blood Here Blood Drive will be sent to our local chapter of the American Red Cross to be distributed as needed across our region.

In honor of heroes like Kaylee, please sign up to donate blood at Heroes Give Blood Here.  

For more information, contact Brandon Jones at bajones@carilionclinic.org.