(St. Paul, MN) – In February, our nation celebrates the remarkable and groundbreaking work of African Americans in our communities. Memorial Blood Centers (MBC) is shining a spotlight on the foundational work of Dr. Charles Drew, one of the founders of modern blood banking.
In 1933, Dr. Drew was the first African American to earn a Doctor of Medical Science degree. He went on to work as a physician, a surgeon, and a researcher. His research on transportation of mass quantities of plasma aided the United States during World War II, and led to technology and practices that would be used in the nation’s first blood banks and bloodmobiles.
The infrastructure envisioned by Dr. Drew is what allows MBC’s donor centers and bloodmobiles to be embedded in our community. Donate blood at one of our facilities, and help support your community by providing an irreplaceable life-saving product to hospital patients in need.
To find a blood drive or donor center nearest you, visit us online. You can register online, or contact the sponsoring organization directly. While walk-in donors are always welcome, we encourage appointments be made in advance.
It’s important for donors to keep their blood donation appointments, as these appointments help MBC plan a stable supply of blood for local hospitals.
