WILMINGTON, Del. – This April, representatives from Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD) attended events held by the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce and the Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce in an effort to strengthen ties with the local business community and spread the word about the urgent and ongoing need for blood.
BBD leaders, including Vice President Keith Heim, Director of Donor Services Megan Johnson, Community Relations and Volunteer Specialist Angela Williamson, and Communications Specialist Tony Prado, represented the organization at the Middletown Area Chamber’s Annual Spring Business Luncheon on April 16 and the New Castle County Chamber’s “Policy Makers Series with Governor Matt Meyer” breakfast on April 22 at Riverfront Events.
During the New Castle County Chamber event, Governor Meyer delivered the keynote address, highlighting the importance of public-private collaboration and praising the chamber’s work on behalf of small businesses. In a Q&A session, BBD publicly thanked Governor Meyer for his ongoing support, including the First Lady’s participation in a January blood drive at Legislative Hall, and requested continued help in raising public awareness about the need for blood donors.
Governor Meyer also reflected on the launch of the Pre-Hospital Whole Blood Program, a 2023 initiative that enables paramedics to deliver lifesaving blood transfusions at the scene of emergencies—a program made possible through a partnership with BBD. He called it “probably the best thing that I did as County Executive.”
“Our county paramedics came to me and said, ‘there are technologies now that enable us to do blood transfusions in the field’,” Meyer said. “They can go to a shooting or an accident on I-95, and they can actually transfuse on site when seconds are critical.” He added, “It worked so well that, within days, they were out there saving the lives of people that they thought would no longer be with us.”
Both Governor Meyer and First Lady Dr. Lauren Meyer are among the 3 percent of Americans who donate blood. They were joined at the event by other donors, including State Treasurer Colleen Davis and Middletown Mayor Kenneth Branner.
At the Middletown Area Chamber luncheon, Mayor Branner and CJ Bell, Director of the Delaware Division of Small Business and a fellow BBD donor, served as keynote speakers. Their participation reinforced the vital connection between community leadership and lifesaving blood donations.
