Download 2017media kit - Blood Assurance

About Blood Assurance
Our mission: to provide a safe and adequate supply of blood and blood components, in a
cost effective manner, to every area patient in need.
• Founded in 1972 in Chattanooga, TN as a joint effort of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County
Medical Society, the Chattanooga Area Hospital Council, and the Chattanooga Jaycees.
• Licensed by the Tennessee Department of Public Health, the Georgia Department of Human
Resources, the Alabama State Board of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• Member of the American Association of Blood Banks, America’s Blood Centers, the
Tennessee Association of Blood Banks, the Tennessee Hospital Association, and the
Chattanooga Area Hospital Council.
• Supplier of blood and blood products for 76 area healthcare facilities.
• Service region includes 51 counties throughout Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina,
Tennessee, and Virginia.
• 540 volunteer blood donors are needed daily to meet the needs of patients at area
hospitals.
• 16 Blood centers: Downtown Chattanooga - Abindon,VA - Athens, TN - Bristol, VA Cartersville, GA - Cleveland, TN - Cookeville, TN - Dalton, GA - Gunbarrel Rd- Chattanooga,
TN - Fort Oglethorpe, GA - Johnson City, TN - Kingsport, TN - Hixson, TN - Rome, GA Tullahoma, TN - Columbia, TN
• 13 bloodmobiles: Donorsaurus, Life Safari, Blood Hound, Life Preserver, Vein Train, Blood
Vessel, Donor Express, Vein Voyager, Donor Network, Life Lifter, Vein Velocity, Blood
Brigade, Life Raft
For more information, visit www.bloodassurance.org or call 1-800-962-0628
Blood Donation FAQ
What are the requirements for donating blood?
• Donors must be 18 years of age (16 & 17 years old with parental consent), at least 110 lbs, and pass a physical health
history exam. There is no upper age limit.
What’s the difference between selling plasma and donating blood?
• Volunteer blood donors, not paid blood donors, supply local hospitals with blood products. Blood collected for
transfusion in the U.S. can only be given by volunteer blood donors.
How often can I give blood?
• you can donate whole blood every 56 days. Platelet donors can give blood every 7 days up to 24 times in a year.
Which medications would prevent me from donating blood?
• Blood thinners, such as Coumadin, Heparin, Lovenox, and Warfarin. Donors on these medications are eligible
to donate seven days after their last dose. You may donate after receiving a flu shot if you are experiencing no
symptoms. Donors who are taking antibiotics are eligible to donate 24 hours after taking their last dose.
• Donors taking these medications are not eligible to donate blood: Proscar, Avodart, Jalyn, Propecia, Accutane,
Soriatane, Tegison, growth hormones, bovine insulin, Hepatitis B Immune Globulin and anyone who has received an
unlicensed vaccine, usually associated with research.
What if I don’t know my blood type?
• You do not have to know your blood type to donate. Your blood will be typed during regular testing. You can call
Blood Assurance at 800.962.0628 or visit the donor portal at donor.bloodassurance.org to find out your blood type
within 5 days of your donation.
For more information, visit www.bloodassurance.org or call 1-800-962-0628
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Cookeville
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75
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Athens
285
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Cartersville
East Brainerd
Cleveland
Service Areas and Fixed Donor Locations
August 2016
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State Boundary
County Outside Service Area
County within Service Area
Rome
Fort Oglethorpe
Dalton
Calhoun
Chattanooga
Tullahoma
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50 Miles
Columbia
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Fixed Donor Center /
Blood Storage Depot
Fixed Donor Center
Interstate
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Kingsport
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Counties Served
Abingdon
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Bristol
Johnson City
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Alabama: Cherokee, Dekalb, Jackson
Georgia: Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fanin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Polk,
Towns, Union, Walker, Whitfield
North Carolina : Cherokee
Tennessee : Bedford, Bledsoe, Bradley, Cannon, Clay, Coffee, Cumberland, Dekalb,
Fentress, Franklin, Giles, Grundy, Hamilton, Hawkins, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Lewis,
Lincoln, Marion, Marshall, Maury, Meigs, Montgomery, Moore, Overton, Pickett, Polk,
Putnam, Rhea, Sequatchie, Smith, Sullivan, Unicoi, Van Buren, Warren, Washington,
Wayne, White, Williamson, Wilson
Virginia: Bristol, Carrol, Galax, Grayson, Henry, Martinsville, Patrick, Russel, Smyth,
Washington
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Tennessee
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40
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285
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Georgia
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75
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Kentucky
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59
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Alabama
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95
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South
Carolina
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North
Carolina
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Not To Scale
Overcoming Objections
There are many reasons people come up with for not giving blood. Sometimes all it takes is a little information
to help a person decide to be somebody who saves lives.
“I need all of my blood.”
Your body contains eight to twelve pints of blood total,
and also manufactures new blood cells constantly. Each
blood donation equals about one fluid pint; an amount
your body can easily replace in just three weeks.
“Giving blood takes too long.
I don’t have time.”
Donating a unit of blood typically takes just seven to ten
minutes. From sign-in to snacks afterward, the whole
process takes 35 to 45 minutes. In less than an hour,
you could save up to three lives.
“A lot of people donate blood.
You don’t need me.”
Out of every 100 Americans, less than five people give
blood. We NEED your donation! Blood Assurance needs
540 donors daily to supply your local health facilities.
“I’m on medication.”
Many medications are acceptable, as long as you’re
feeling well. The FDA, which makes the rules for
blood donation, provides regular updates on which
medications and medical conditions are acceptable. If
you weren’t able to donate in the past, please try again.
The requirements may have been updated. For a list
of all requirements, you can visit our website at www.
bloodassurance.org or to reach a Blood Assurance
employee you can call Donor Services toll free at
1-800-962-0628.
“I’m afraid I’ll catch a disease from
donating blood.”
It is not possible to contract any disease from the act
of donating blood. The needle and all other blood
collection supplies come pre-packaged and sterile.
Supplies are used once and then discarded. Giving
blood is safe.
“I’m too scared of needles.”
Please consider this: most blood donors who were
scared about the ‘stick’ say afterward that donating
was much easier than they expected. They compare
it to a ‘pinch’ on the inside of your arm, at the elbow
joint. Give it a try! You will find that the ‘pinch’ is worth
saving three lives.
“I already gave once this year.”
Donors are needed year-round because blood is needed
every day. Due to its limited “shelf life,” the blood
supply must be replenished regularly. If you are healthy,
17 or older (16 with parent/guardian permission), and
weigh 110 pounds or more, you can donate every 56
days (8 weeks) – and be somebody who gives back to
your community.
I don’t know my schedule for right now,
next week, etc.
By scheduling an appointment
right now, we are holding a
place for you. This will give
Blood Assurance and you
the best possible donation
experience. If you need
to cancel or change your
appointment just give us a call
at 1-800-962-0628.
For more information, visit www.bloodassurance.org or call 1-800-962-0628
Myths About Donating Blood
“You don’t want my blood.”
“I can’t give blood because I’m diabetic.”
With less than 10% of the eligible population actually
donating blood, we need every able donor to give
blood. We perform 13 tests on each unit of blood to
ensure that the blood is safe for the recipient.
Diabetics may donate blood as long as the other
medical requirements are met. However, the
previous use of bovine-derived insulin (insulin from
a cow) will result in deferral from blood donation.
“I can’t give blood because I’m anemic.”
“I can’t donate blood because I
had cancer.”
Your iron level will be checked prior to donating
blood. As long as levels are normal on the day of
donation, you can give blood. We recommend eating
meals that are rich in iron leading
up to your donation.
“I can’t donate blood because I’ve been out
of the country.”
Simply traveling outside of the United States will
not defer you from donating blood. Temporary
restrictions are placed on potential donors who
have visited countries with a high risk of malaria.
Restrictions change almost yearly, so contact Blood
Assurance to ask about a specific destination.
“I can’t donate because I have a tattoo.”
If you received your tattoo from a licensed tattoo
artist in Alabama, North Carolina or Tennessee, you
no longer have to wait one year before donating
blood. Tattoos received in Georgia still require a one
year deferral.
While some types of cancer such as leukemia and
lymphoma (Hodgkins, non-Hodgkins, etc.) will defer
a donor permanently, other cancer survivors can
donate blood after being in remission for at
least one year.
“I can get paid to donate blood.”
To protect the safety of the blood supply, our donors
are not paid. There are two very distinct divisions of
blood banking, according to the FDA. One consists
of non-profit regional blood centers like Blood
Assurance who supply blood products to area
hospitals. They receive reimbursement from the
hospitals for the costs incurred in collecting, testing
and shipping the blood. The other division consists
of for-profit paid plasma collections, in which people
receive monetary compensation for their blood.
The FDA does not allow these blood collections
to be used for human transfusion. They are most
often used in the manufacturing of cosmetic and
pharmaceutical products.
For more information, visit www.bloodassurance.org or call 1-800-962-0628
Who Your Donation Helps and
Why You Should Donate
Julia’s Story
Meet Julia, a 6 year old from Bristol, VA,
who was diagnosed with kidney cancer
in 2015. Julia had many transfusions
of both blood and platelets during
her treatments at a local Johnson City
children’s hospital over the course of
nine and a half months, provided by
donors that gave at Blood Assurance.
“Thank you so much for helping Blood
Assurance to be able to help our
daughter. Please keep giving. There is
someone out there that needs or will
need it soon.
With your donations of blood products
you are helping children and people like
her.”
- Mom, Valerie Perkins
For videos :
Sheron’s Story: https://vimeo.com/173567661
3 Generations of Blood Donors: https://youtu.be/8f6w3DUM3rw
Special Programs
Programs funded by Blood Assurance include: the Crystal Green Memorial Scholarship for local
high school seniors, Excellence in Education grants for schools, Cord of Courage,
1/2 Pints 4 Life, and Be The Match marrow registry.
Crystal Green Memorial Scholarship
The Crystal Green Memorial Program offers a total of twelve (1) one-year scholarships in the amount of $1,500
each. Scholarship money is paid directly to each student’s college or university for tuition, fees, and other
educational expenses as may be required.
Cord of Courage
Students in participating schools who complete a required number of donations before they graduate receive
a special cord to wear at their graduation ceremony and may opt to receive a special edition cord if they go
above and beyond.
1/2 Pints 4 Life
1/2 Pints 4 Life is a program designed for elementary and middle school
students to learn about, and help promote, blood donations. By encouraging
their parents and teachers to donate blood at school blood drives, kids
practice community involvement and learn early on the importance of
donating blood for patients in need.
Be The Match® is a worldwide organization made up of individuals who work together to recruit bone marrow
and/or stem cell donors to match potential donors with patients in need of life-saving transplants.
Blood Assurance is a 501 c3 non-profit organization.
For more information, visit www.bloodassurance.org or call 1-800-962-0628
Media Resources
Please visit www.bloodassurance.org, where you will find
useful links to news and media resources such as:
• Stock Photos
• Press Releases
Media Contacts:
Jay Baumgardner
Executive Director of
Community Relations & Marketing
Cell: 423-322-5823
Office: 423-752-8476
Mindy Quinn
Marketing Manager
Cell: 423-702-1385
Office: 423-752-5926
Caitlyn Mantooth
Marketing & Community Outreach Specialist
Cell: 423-322-9055
For more information, visit www.bloodassurance.org or call 1-800-962-0628