Memorial Blood Centers hopes that a new state-of-the-art donor center in Apple Valley will boost the number of blood donations.
MBC held a grand opening at the new donor center Tuesday morning. The center, at 7495 145th Street West in Apple Valley, is their first permanent structure in a community, “south of the river.”
“In the communities of Lakeville, Burnsville, Apple Valley, and Eagan,” said Phil Losacker, MBC’s Community Relations Manager. “It’s in a community and part of the city that’s been very supportive through blood drives. Now they’ll have an alternative, which is a state-of-the-art blood center.”
According to Losacker, the new facility is a one-stop-shop when it comes to donating whole blood, platelets, plasma, or red blood cells.
“We have the capability to do all those in an extremely comfortable and lovely blood center.”
In mid-July, Memorial Blood Centers issued an urgent call for O+ and O- donors, saying their current inventory of both types was at its lowest since the COVID-19 shutdown.
“O-negative red blood can go to anyone, O-positive can go to anyone who’s is positive,” Losacker said. “O-positive is the most common blood type and finding donors who are willing to come in, it’s blood that’s used in emergency situations. There’s a big need for it right now.”
MBC’s new Apple Valley facility hopes to build on its already loyal blood donor community in the area.
“We recently opened a new donor center in Duluth and that’s reinvigorated the donor population there,” added Losacker. “To have blood drives in the community and a permanent place that makes it convenient for them, the trick is getting the word out.”
Blood donors can give every 56 days and platelet donors can give twice per month. MBC encourages anyone wanting to donate blood to make appointment on their website.