SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., June 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitalant
(vye-TAL-ent), formerly known as Blood Systems, is a partnering
blood center on Facebook's blood donation feature launched today.
More than 30,000 blood donations are needed every day in the U.S.
to help transform the lives of patients affected by trauma,
elective and emergency surgeries, cancer and blood disorders. The
tool is designed to help raise awareness and blood donation
opportunities every day, as well as in times of need, whether due
to tragedy or seasonal declines in donation. This feature allows
any registered user to respond to the call for blood donations and
become part of the solution to the nation's escalating blood
shortages.
Vitalant is excited to partner with Facebook on bringing this
feature to the U.S. after enormous success in donor engagement in
Bangladesh, Brazil, India
and Pakistan. This feature is a
creative solution to energize a movement around blood donations and
help individuals contribute to the health of their neighbors and
communities when the need is highest.
"Facebook's commitment to working with nonprofits through their
Social Good efforts to combat increasing blood scarcities is
admirable," stated Mitzy Edgecomb,
vice president of marketing and communications at Vitalant. "We are
proud to align with an iconic technology brand dedicated to
bringing people together to elevate awareness of the need and
amplify the call for donors who can transform lives."
The timely release of Facebook's donation tool coincides with a
blood drive held at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif. June
11 demonstrating the transformational impact of blood
donation for both the donor and the patient. With more than 125
donation centers and more than 30,000 blood drives held annually
across the nation, Vitalant provides easy and convenient ways for
potential donors to save lives.
This week also commemorates World Blood Donor Day, created
June 14, 2005 and celebrated annually
to heighten awareness of the ongoing and critical need for blood
across the globe.
"We strive to help people better support their communities and
collectively improve public health," said Hema Budaraju, product director, health at
Facebook. "We're proud to partner with Vitalant and other blood
centers to help raise awareness and prevent seasonal
shortages."
Facebook users in Vitalant service areas including Chicago and San
Francisco are among the first to access the new blood
donation feature beginning today. Everyone is encouraged to
register as a blood donor by navigating to "Blood Donations" in the
"About" section of their Facebook profile to learn about and take
action on blood donation opportunities in their area. The feature
will be rolled out in other communities in the coming months.
About Vitalant
Vitalant—one of the nation's oldest and
largest non-profit community blood service providers—supplies
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. It operates a world-renowned transfusion medicine research
institute, owns a biological products distribution service and
co-owns a high-volume donor testing laboratory joint venture.
Contact:
Julie
Scott
jscott@vitalant.org
303.361.2819 direct
720.732.4963 mobile
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SOURCE Vitalant