Mountain Hospital System Chooses New Blood Provider

The Blood Connection (TBC), a Greenville, SC based community blood center, became the exclusive blood provider for Cannon Memorial Hospital locations and Watuga Medical Center locations on October 1, 2020. These hospitals are within the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System and will be joining other healthcare systems in the region like Mission Health and AdventHealth who have also chosen TBC as their local blood supplier. This new relationship will impact thousands of residents by providing live-saving blood products to Watuga and Avery counties through the support of the community.

TBC has served as a non-profit 501(c)(3) community blood center for almost 60 years and is the exclusive blood provider for the entire Upstate of South Carolina and a large portion of North Carolina. With its expansion into new counties in Western North Carolina, the blood center is broadening its reach to serve a majority of the region. TBC began supplying local hospitals in the area in 2013 and has opened two donation centers since in Arden and Hendersonville.

"The strength of this community has been evident and inspiring since we began serving local hospitals years ago. Blood donors here have supported their neighbors time and time again through the simple act of donating blood locally with us," said Delisa K. English, TBC President and CEO. "This opportunity to now serve more of western North Carolina will be yet another way for blood donors to make a positive impact in their neighborhoods. We invite new blood donors to come be lifesavers with us."

TBC has played an integral role in the fight against COVID-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic, TBC has been at the forefront of providing desperately needed convalescent plasma, which can be donated by someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or the antibodies. TBC has also navigated the fluctuations of the blood supply though the pandemic and has partnered with various community organizations to host vital blood drives. During this time, TBC kept up with hospital partners' needs amidst a national blood shortage.

While blood collections is a big part of what TBC does, it is also a full-service blood center, which includes testing, manufacturing, distribution and reference lab services, now including COVID-19 antibody testing. As a single-focused operation, the community blood center is able to commit all of its resources to collecting and testing blood products in order to transport them to local hospitals quickly.

About The Blood Connection

The Blood Connection has been committed to saving lives since 1962. Founded in Greenville, South Carolina, TBC is an independently managed, not-for-profit, community blood center that provides blood products to more than 70 hospitals within Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Recognized by the U.S. Congress for its dedication to disaster preparedness and the community, TBC works diligently to collect blood from volunteer donors to meet the ever-increasing demand. By keeping collections local, TBC serves hundreds of thousands of patients a year in its communities. TBC is licensed and regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. For more information, visit thebloodconnection.org.