U.S. Representative Sarah McBride conducted a mid-summer visit to Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD) to learn more about daily blood operations and its lifesaving mission to ensure that hospitals and paramedics in Delaware and beyond have the blood products required to help patients in need.
BBD’s Vice President of Operations Kristin Frederick, Director of Donor Recruitment Joanna Arat, Director of Enterprise Quality Systems Margaret Hannan, Director of Donor Services Megan Johnson, and Communications Specialist Tony Prado welcomed Congresswoman McBride during her visit to the Christiana Donor Center on Friday, July 24.
The invitation for Congresswoman McBride to visit Blood Bank of Delmarva came after BBD staff visited the Congresswoman’s office in Washington, D.C. during America’s Blood Centers’ Advocacy Summit in June. During her visit, the Congresswoman announced that she had agreed to co-sponsor the BLOOD Centers Act and that she is supportive of the new TRICARE demonstration project testing dedicated reimbursement for prehospital blood transfusions, making this more accessible to veterans.
Rep. McBride expressed an appreciation for the mission of Blood Bank of Delmarva to keep local hospitals stocked, and she noted that local paramedics were always proud to mention their prehospital blood program in partnership with BBD. New Castle County, Kent County, Sussex County paramedics, and Delaware State Police Aviation Section ensure statewide coverage for prehospital blood in partnership with Blood Bank of Delmarva, which also partners with other parts of Delmarva for this state-of-the-art treatment for patients.
“I’m grateful to the Blood Bank of Delmarva for its critical and lifesaving work on behalf of Delaware and was proud to see their efforts firsthand last week,” said Rep. McBride. “Their work is a reminder that some of the most important public service happens quietly, every single day. I’m thankful to the staff, volunteers, and donors whose generosity helps save lives across our state.”
BBD officials discussed the challenges the industry faces, including the fact that only 3 percent of people eligible to donate blood in the United States take the time to do this lifesaving act, thereby leading to blood emergencies. In addition to universal challenges, there are also hurdles to overcome in getting blood donations to match the diversity of the state of Delaware.
During the visit, Frederick urged Congresswoman McBride to continue spreading the word about the importance of blood donation across the state of Delaware.
