Dignity Health Central Coast Hospitals Again Partner with Vitalant to Host Community Life-Saving Blood Drives

CENTRAL COAST, CA – April 1, 2021 – After successful blood drives at Arroyo Grande Community Hospital (AGCH), French Hospital Medical Center (FHMC), and Marian Regional Medical Center (MRMC), Dignity Health Central Coast hospitals have again partnered with Vitalant in a proactive effort to encourage community members to donate blood. In order to bolster local and national blood supplies, Vitalant is calling on the community to come forward and give blood. The process takes only 45 minutes but can save up to three lives.

The drive is scheduled for each hospital on the following dates:

• Marian Regional Medical Center – Wednesday, April 7, 2021, 10am-2pm at the parking lot on Cypress Way between Palisades Drive and Suey Road 
  
  
• French Hospital Medical Center – Tuesday, April 13, 2021, 10am-3pm at the back parking lot, 1911 South Johnson Avenue, San Luis Obispo
  
  
• Arroyo Grande Community Hospital – Wednesday, April 28, 2021, 9am - 2pm in the Annex Conference Room, 345 South Halcyon Road, Arroyo Grande

There is currently a critical shortage of blood, and all community members are asked to take the short amount of time to donate. Community members wishing to donate are urged to sign up at www.blood4life.org. Do not donate if you are feeling ill. 

In the wake of COVID-19 responses, Vitalant is urging groups to continue organizing blood drives and individuals to continue donating blood, unless local public health officials specifically direct otherwise. Blood drives at schools, churches, community groups, and religious institutions - which represent more than 60% of the nation’s blood supply - have been all but cancelled, and are critical to health care in our country.

Despite the ongoing need, it is now especially challenging to recruit donors, which affects Vitalant’s blood supply. Donations from O-negative donors, the universal blood type, are especially important. The current O-negative blood supply sits at an approximate two-day supply, which is half of the ideal quantity needed to support patient needs. Additionally, platelet donations, which have a shelf-life of only five days, are always in high demand. However, donors of all types are needed. 

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About Dignity Health Central Coast 
Dignity Health Central Coast is comprised of five award-winning hospitals, all recognized for their quality of care, safety and service, primary care offices, premier ambulatory surgery centers, technologically advanced imaging centers, outpatient services, and comprehensive home health services. Hospitals are supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to provide additional funding to support new programs and services, as well as to advance the community’s access to health care.  For more information, visit dignityhealth.org/central-coast.

About Vitalant
Vitalant is one of the nation’s oldest and largest nonprofit community blood service providers, supplying comprehensive transfusion medicine services for nearly 1,000 hospitals and health care partners for patients in need across 40 states. Vitalant inspires local communities to serve the needs of others and transform lives through the selfless act of donating blood. Every day, almost 5,000 blood donations are needed to meet the needs of people throughout the country, and Vitalant’s 780,000 donors supply 1.8 million donations a year. In addition to blood products, Vitalant offers customers transfusion services, medical consulting, quality guidance, ongoing education, research and more. For more information and to schedule a donation, visit vitalant.org or call (877) 258-4825 (877-25-VITAL).