Columbus Chamber Of Commerce: Versiti Blood Center Of Ohio To Open First Permanent Donor Center

Columbus OH

24 September, 2021

1:29 PM

Description

Press release from Columbus Chamber of Commerce: September 23, 2021 Versiti Blood Center of Ohio is excited to announce its first permanent blood donation center, scheduled to open in early 2022. Versiti is the blood and blood products supplier to The Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center and currently collects blood donations via mobile drives across central Ohio. The new permanent donor center will be located at 3830 Fishinger Blvd. on Columbus' Northwest Side and will expand Versiti's lifesaving mission in Ohio. "We're thrilled that early next year we will have a permanent location where donors can drop in and donate blood at their convenience to help save lives," said Heather Sever, area vice president and director of donor services for Versiti. "This fixed location will allow us to serve the patients in need of blood at the Wexner Medical Center at an even higher capacity." With more than 6,300 square feet of office and donor space, the center will be able to serve up to twelve donors of blood and platelets at one time. Versiti will continue to partner with businesses and healthcare facilities to host various mobile blood drives across central Ohio even once the blood center is opened. One of the largest mobile blood collection events, the 40th Annual Blood Battle, will kick off in October. This long-standing tradition pits The Ohio State University against "that team up North" to compete on the number of blood donations collected leading up to the big rivalry game. Donors can schedule an appointment to donate blood by calling 800-485-6594 or visit Versiti online at http://www.versiti.org/ohio. Versiti, based in Milwaukee, runs blood donation centers in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. It also operates the Blood Research Institute, focusing on the study of blood disorders. When the Wexner Medical Center chose the company as its supplier in 2019, officials cited Versiti's capacity for innovation and its ability to meet an academic medical center's need for blood products with rare characteristics that are difficult to match. Giving blood is easy — and important. • The donation process, including registration and testing, takes about an hour. Because blood and fluids are constantly replaced by your body, blood donation doesn't take a major toll on the human body. • Every two seconds, someone needs lifesaving blood to survive. One donation can save up to three lives. • There is no substitute for blood donation — blood cannot be manufactured. About Versiti Blood Center of Ohio Based in Columbus, Versiti Blood Center of Ohio provides blood, blood products and specialty laboratory services to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. The Wexner Medical Center is a leading hospital system with a nationally recognized hematology division, the Midwest's largest cancer hospital and the only academic medical center in the region. The health system uses more than 60,000 lifesaving units of blood products every year. Versiti Blood Center of Ohio schedules community blood drives in the Columbus area in order to support The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center blood needs. For a complete listing of upcoming drives for to host a blood drive visit www.versiti.org/ohio or call 800-485-6594. This press release was produced by Columbus Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author's own.