SOURCE: Community Blood Center of the Carolinas

CHARLOTTE – The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC) says there’s a shortage of O negative blood in the community and is urging O negative donors to donate blood as soon as possible.

“The need for O negative blood in our region’s hospitals right now is critical,” said Martin Grable, president and CEO of Community Blood Center of the Carolinas. “Summer is a particularly difficult time for all blood centers, supply drops and demand often goes up. While we need donors of all blood types, O negative blood is the universal blood type and the most commonly used. We are asking O negative donors to come together to save lives in our 16 area hospitals by donating blood as soon as possible.”

According to CBCC, treatment of cancer and cardiovascular disease continue as usual and trauma increases, pushing demand up. People are busy during the summer and students – who account for about 20 percent of the blood supply – are out of school so the supply drops.

Anyone 16 (parent permission needed for 16-year-olds in S.C.) and older who weighs at least 120 pounds is encouraged to donate at one of the three CBCC centers located in Charlotte, Belmont and Monroe or at one of CBCC’s many mobile blood drives, which can be found at www.cbcc.us/donate ^[1]. For more information or to make an appointment, call 704-972-4700.

Charlotte Center
4447 South Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28209
Sunday and Monday: Closed
Tuesday, Friday and Saturday: 7:30am – 5:00pm
Wednesday and Thursday: 10:30am – 8:00pm

Belmont Center
1212 Spruce Street, Caramont Health Building, Belmont, NC 28012
Sunday and Monday: 8:00am – 5:30pm
Tuesday and Wednesday: 9:30am – 7:00pm
Thursday: 8:00am – 5:30pm
Friday and Saturday: Closed

CMC-Union Center
600 Hospital Drive, located in the Pavilion area, Monroe, NC 28112
Tuesday and Friday: 7:30am – 5:00pm
Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday: Closed

The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas is an independent, locally-managed, non-profit community blood center providing more than 90 percent of the blood supply to the 16 area hospitals that serve 11 North Carolina and three South Carolina counties. The Center’s mission is to be the steward of a community resource – life-saving blood. CBCC is strictly a blood center, completely focused on gathering red blood cells, platelets and plasma from volunteer donors to save local lives. Every drop of blood collected stays here to help people in our community.

The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas is a member of America’s Blood Centers, a group of 76 independent blood centers that supplies 50 percent of the country’s blood. It subscribes to a community-based banking philosophy. That means community donors know that the blood they give stays in our community first – helping family members, friends and neighbors. Excess supply is shared with other communities when needed. For more information on blood drives near you, visit www.cbcc.us or call 704-972-4700. You may also donate blood at CBCC, located at 4447 South Boulevard in Charlotte, 1212 Spruce Street in Belmont or at 600 Hospital Drive in Monroe.

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