CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Nov. 1, 2019 – Today OneBlood will kick off the 15th Annual Puppies for Patients program. The region’s blood supplier, formerly known as Community Blood Center of the Carolinas, will continue to bring joy to patients in local hospitals this holiday season with the help of community blood donors.

The community is encouraged to give the gift that costs nothing but is priceless to patients in need: lifesaving blood. Donate blood or platelets at a OneBlood donation center or mobile blood drive in November or December and get the opportunity to send a message to a child in need. These messages will then be attached to adorable stuffed puppies that will be given to children in local hospitals and care centers over the holiday season.

Since the program’s inception in 2005, Oneblood’s Puppies for Patients program has provided comfort and joy to thousands of patients and their families facing trying times.

“It is remarkable to see the smile that comes to a child’s face when they receive a stuffed puppy with a message of support and encouragement from a blood donor,” said Jessica Jankowski, marketing administrator for OneBlood. “The Puppies for Patients program gives us the opportunity to make a direct connection between blood donor and patient. We are so grateful for our donors and blood drive hosts who step up to help save lives and bring smiles to local pediatric patients during the holidays.”

The holidays are a difficult time for blood collection, Jankowski said. With schools on break, the increased potential for inclement weather and winter illness, and the general hustle and bustle of the holidays, the blood supply tends to suffer. The Puppies for Patients program allows donors to make their lifesaving gift of blood go even futher as they also provide comfort and joy to those in need.

OneBlood is the nonprofit blood center and the primary blood supplier to the region’s hospitals, including Atrium Health, Cone Health and FirstHealth of the Carolinas. OneBlood relies on local organizations to host blood drives and volunteers to donate blood to maintain an adequate blood supply for patients in need.

Generally, healthy people age 16 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds can donate blood. To learn more about the importance of blood donation and how donors can target the power of their blood type, visit oneblood.org or call 1.888.9DONATE (1.888.936.6283).

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We Have a New Look, But It’s Still Us

We are excited to announce that Community Blood Center of the Carolinas and OneBlood have merged. To learn more, go to www.oneblood.org.

About OneBlood

OneBlood is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) community asset responsible for providing safe, available and affordable blood to more than 250 hospital partners and their patients throughout Florida and into areas of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. OneBlood distributes more than one million blood products annually, operates nearly 90 donor centers and deploys close to 200 of its signature Big Red Buses throughout its service area for blood drives. To learn more about OneBlood please visit www.oneblood.org

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