| It’s a common response following natural disasters, mass casualties and other tragedies: The need for blood spurs donors to line up at blood centers across the country. But what’s required to get those donations to patients who need them? The answers are in a new infographic and accompanying video produced by BioBridge Global, the parent organization of the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center (STBTC). “Donor to Patient: 24 Hours to Save a Life” demonstrates the process from the donation, when about a pint is collected from a donor, through processing, testing and delivery for transfusion. As the title implies, the process from donation to availability for patients takes about 24 hours. “No matter what the circumstances, we have to follow the same steps with all donations,” said Elizabeth Waltman, chief operating officer of the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center. “That’s why it’s important that we have donations all the time, so blood is available on the shelves before emergencies happen or disasters strike. Donations after a crisis play an important role as well, helping blood centers re-stock inventory to meet ongoing patient needs.” Donors who come forward when blood supplies are low – usually over the summer months, and again during November and December – help make sure blood is available for all needs, including ongoing use for cancer patients, new mothers and premature babies, surgery patients and accident victims. All blood donations with STBTC are tested by its sister organization, QualTex Laboratories, which also does blood and blood product testing for organizations across the country. Both organizations follow guidelines established by multiple governmental entities, especially the Food and Drug Administration, to make sure donations are safe and ready to use as soon as possible in a crisis, while helping to maintain a regular supply for everyday use. The infographic and the video show how the organizations:
Both the video and the infographic are available at SouthTexasBlood.org/24hours. About the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center: The South Texas Blood & Tissue Center (STBTC) is a nonprofit community blood center that provides blood, plasma, platelets and other blood components to more than 70 hospitals in 40 South Texas counties. It is the largest blood supplier in our region. STBTC has a proud 42-year history serving the South Texas community. The center is a subsidiary of BioBridge Global, a nonprofit organization comprising services for regenerative medicine and research including blood banking and resource management; cellular therapy; umbilical cord blood collection and storage; donated human tissue recovery and distribution for transplant; and testing of blood and plasma products to help patients in South Texas, the United States and worldwide. STBTC has seven donor rooms in South Texas and conducts thousands of mobile blood drives each year. Visit us at SouthTexasBlood.org and BioBridgeGlobal.org. About QualTex Laboratories: QualTex Laboratories is a nonprofit affiliate of BioBridge Global that provides state-of-the-art biologic testing services on whole blood, plasma and human cells, tissue, and cellular- and tissue-based products (HCT/P) for its global biotechnology and biopharmaceutical customers. It’s one of the nation’s largest nonprofit testing laboratories and has locations in Texas and Georgia. Visit us at qualtexlabs.org. About BioBridge Global: BioBridge Global (BBG) is a San Antonio, Texas-based nonprofit corporation that offers diverse services through its subsidiaries – the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, QualTex Laboratories, GenCure and the Blood & Tissue Center Foundation. BBG provides products and services in blood resource management, cellular therapy, donated umbilical cord blood and human tissue as well as testing of blood, plasma and tissue products for clients in the United States and worldwide. BBG is rooted in the South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, which has a proud history of serving the South Texas region and beyond for more than 40 years. BBG is committed to supporting groundbreaking research, addressing unmet clinical needs and enabling the development and commercialization of novel biotechnology products. Visit us at www.biobridgeglobal.org. |
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/911bd316-98f3-4290-b22d-dc0cb39a4332
