The Dr. Charles Drew Lifesaver Award is an annual honor awarded to an MBC partner dedicated to raising awareness of the need for diverse blood donations
ST. PAUL, MN – Memorial Blood Centers (MBC) has awarded the 2025 Dr. Charles Drew Lifesaver Award to Rae Blaylark, President and CEO of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Minnesota, in recognition of her dedication to Sickle Cell awareness advocacy. MBC presented Rae Blaylark with her award on Tuesday, February 25th at MBC’s St. Paul Donor Center.
The Dr. Charles Drew Lifesaver Award, presented annually during Black History Month, honors MBC partners who champion the importance of diversity in the blood supply. Named for Dr. Charles Drew, known as the father of modern blood banking and the first African American to earn a Doctor of Medical Science degree from Columbia University, the award celebrates his lifesaving contributions during World War II which led to the technology and practices used by the nation’s first blood banks and bloodmobiles.
Ms. Blaylark is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sickle Cell Foundation of Minnesota, SickleCellMN) and the proud parent of a young adult son living with sickle cell disease. In 2015, she founded Sickle Cell Foundation of MN as a means to provide community education & awareness, elevate patient voices and establish community-involved pathways to improve clinical outcomes across the lifespan.
Over the past 18+ years, Ms. Blaylark has served on many local, state and national health advisory committees and has represented the sickle cell community in various professional roles, including blood and marrow donor recruitment, pediatric care coordination, hemoglobinopathy counselor, program coordinator, community liaison and community health worker (CHW). Ms. Blaylark is an unceasingly strong voice for blood donation, and a former Memorial Blood Centers employee.
“We’re grateful to Rae Blaylark for her incredible work to encourage blood donations in the Minnesota community over the last year” said Kathy Geist, Vice President at Memorial Blood Centers. “This Black History Month, we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Charles Drew, whose innovative work transformed modern blood banking and saved countless lives. Memorial Blood Centers is proud to recognize Rae Blaylark with this award, a well-deserved tribute for an exceptional advocate.”
In response, Ms. Blaylark shared a message of thanks to MBC blood donors: “Thank you for the many years of lifesaving blood that you’ve provided to my now 28-year-old son who was born with sickle cell disease. He was able to make it to his genetic trial for sickle cell disease because of the many, many units of life-saving blood that he received from donors at Memorial Blood Centers.”
Diverse blood donations are critical for patients with conditions like sickle cell disease. These patients often require very closely matched blood products due to their body’s tendency to produce antibodies against transfused red blood cells. MBC and NYBCe hold the largest inventory of rare blood in the world, making it a critical resource for patients with unique transfusion needs. A robust and diverse blood supply is critical for ensuring equitable healthcare across the region.
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About Memorial Blood Centers
Founded in 1948, Memorial Blood Centers have served Minnesota and Wisconsin for more than 75 years, delivering more than 125,000 lifesaving blood products annually to 50+ hospitals, EMS and healthcare partners. MBC is part of New York Blood Center Enterprises (NYBCe), which spans 17+ states and delivers one million blood products to 400+ U.S. hospitals annually. NYBCe additionally delivers cellular therapies, specialty pharmacy, and medical services to 200+ research, academic and biopharmaceutical organizations. NYBCe’s Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute is a leader in hematology and transfusion medicine research, dedicated to the study, prevention, treatment and cure of bloodborne and blood-related diseases. MBC serves as a vital community lifeline dedicated to helping patients and advancing global public health. To learn more, visit mbc.org. Connect with us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
