News and Events

$5,200 will go towards hunger relief programs on Delmarva

Newark, DE - Local blood donors generously gave nearly 83,000 units of blood this past year - saving thousands of lives. Blood Bank of Delmarva wants to give back too. In lieu of giving each staff and Board member a small holiday gift as in years past, the organization is donating that money - $5,200 - to food banks in Delaware and Maryland.

"With the economic downturn, local food banks have experienced severely diminished supplies and financial support," said Blood Bank President and CEO Robert L. Travis. "By pooling our holiday gift money, we are able to have a bigger impact in helping those less fortunate this holiday season."

The contribution will go towards hunger relief programs throughout Delmarva.

"We are so thankful for the support of Blood Bank of Delmarva. It's great to see nonprofits helping other nonprofits, especially during these tough economic times," said Kim Kostes, Community Relations Manager for the Food Bank of Delaware, one of the organizations helped by the donation. "This financial contribution will help us to ensure that no Delawarean goes hungry."

New technology expected to improve accuracy of medical history information

Newark, DE - Blood donors know the drill. Before giving blood, each person is asked the same 50 questions about their personal and medical history - every time they come in to give blood - no matter how often they donate. Those questions are mandated by the Food and Drug Administration and are designed to protect the blood supply. The donor interview is an important aspect of blood safety that protects donors as well as transfusion recipients.

But now, because of exciting technology that has made its way to the Blood Bank's interview booths, donors will be playing a much more active role in the process.

New software, called Computer Assisted Self-Interviews (CASI), is built into touch-screen laptops in the interview booths. After staff conducts the mini-physicals, donors are now able to answer the pre-donation interview questions electronically. They see the question pop up on the screen, hear the question through headphones, and give their answer by touching the screen. Technicians review the answers afterwards and follow up where necessary. If a donor cannot use the new computer system for any reason, or if they choose not to do so, staff conducts the interview face-to-face.

CASI is expected to make donors feel comfortable answering questions about their medical history, while maintaining and improving the accuracy and completeness of the information - better protecting the health of donors and ensuring the safety of blood products. CASI is now being used in the Blood Bank's Christiana Center and will be phased in at the other centers over the next few months.

New center will accommodate blood donors needed well into future

New Christiana Center - 100 Hygeia Drive, Newark, DE 19713

New Christiana Donor Room

Newark, DE - Blood Bank of Delmarva has officially begun a major expansion project. The organization is doubling the size of its current facility, building a new donor room and expanding every area of operation - including its laboratory and administrative offices.

This expansion project will address many of the organization's space issues. In meeting a growing need for blood at area hospitals, the number of blood donations on Delmarva has grown over the years - from 62,207 blood donations in 1999 to 82,292 in 2007 (32% growth). The Christiana Center serves as the Blood Bank's "headquarters" and, as its biggest facility, collects 47% of all blood donations on Delmarva. There are 3 other permanent blood donation sites in Wilmington and Dover, DE and Salisbury, MD.

"We outgrew the Christiana Center a long time ago," said Sharon Wiseman, director of Donor Services. "This will be our last chance to expand at this location and we need to be capable of drawing enough donors to maintain the blood supply at local hospitals in the future."

What's To Come
Construction plans include renovating 85% of the existing facility and adding four new sections. The design and layout will be streamlined to minimize the movement of donors throughout the donation experience and improve the flow of blood products from processing to distribution.

The new donor room will be much larger, providing space for six additional beds and growth in the volume of whole blood, ALYX (double red cell) and pheresis (platelets and plasma) donors.

The Blood Bank laboratory will also be expanded, allowing room for equipment to conduct tests for eleven infectious diseases and conditions. This will give lab technicians the opportunity to do all blood testing in-house for the first time and provide extra space for any new tests that may come along in the future.

"To do our job efficiently, we must increasingly rely on new technology," said Bob Travis, Blood Bank President and CEO. "Just this week, we introduced new touch screen computers in every interview booth for donors to use to provide their medical history. All of these things take additional space and we must expand this building to accommodate those things and the many other changes and additions still to come."

Impact on Donors During Construction
The Christiana Center will continue to fully operate throughout the expansion, and a plan is in place to minimize the impact on staff. Other than a few minor inconveniences during specific phases of construction, donors will not be affected.

"This is one of the more complicated projects we've worked on - with so many complex phases," said Jeff Nowland of Nowland Associates. "It is essential that this construction is sequenced perfectly and done quickly and efficiently without disturbing the process of collecting, testing, and distributing blood products to local hospitals."

Construction is expected to be complete in the winter of 2010. The project will cost about $10 million.

WHYY News Coverage - Story of 5-Year-Old Ke'Asia M. of Wilmington, Delaware who has sickle cell disease and needs a blood transfusion every 3 weeks to survive

See full story

WHYY News Coverage from New Castle and Cecil County Luncheon- 10/22/08

See press release

Donors are urged to make an appointment to give blood in Claymont

Claymont, DE - Meeting the demand for blood from area hospitals can be a serious challenge during the holidays and winter months when donors are kept away by colds and flu, bad weather and holiday travel.

To help increase the blood supply, Blood Bank of Delmarva is hosting several community blood drives over the next two weeks. The organization will be at: St. Joseph's Church in Middletown on December 10; Claymont Fire Hall on December 15; and the Talleyville Fire Hall in Wilmington on December 16. All of these blood drives will be from noon until 6pm.

This will be the first community blood drive in Claymont and the schedule is filling slowly. To become a holiday hero and make an appointment to give blood, call 1 888 8-BLOOD-8 or click HERE. Walk-in donors are welcome and will be taken as time allows.

"Many people search for opportunities to help those in need during the holiday season. And now with the current economic crisis, more are in need of support and less are able to help financially," said Carrie Aiken, spokesperson for Blood Bank of Delmarva. "What better way to make a difference than with a blood donation that can save lives."

Donors at the Beach Blanket Blood Drive help stabilize winter blood supply

Ocean City, MD - Blood Bank of Delmarva returns to the Ocean City Convention Center on Tuesday, January 27 and Wednesday, January 28 for the 11th Annual Beach Blanket Blood Drive. The drive was established to promote blood donation in the winter, a time when blood supplies traditionally dip as donors are kept away by colds and flu, bad weather and holiday travel.

The Blood Bank, which provides blood and blood products to the 17 hospitals on Delmarva, seeks to exceed its existing record for the number of registered blood donors at the event - 640 people in two days.

Donors will receive a free t-shirt and other items, such as coupons donated by local businesses. The canteen will feature cookies, candy, donuts and snacks provided by Ocean City restaurants and live radio broadcasts will be heard on local stations.

The Beach Blanket Blood Drive will be held at the Ocean City Convention Center (40th Street and Coastal Highway) on Tuesday, January 27 from 10:00am - 6:00pm and on Wednesday, January 28 from 9:00am - 5:00pm.

Anyone who would like to give blood during this drive should call 1-888-8-BLOOD-8 or click here for an appointment. Walk-ins will be taken as time allows.