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Wesley Chapel Blood Center Goes Mobile

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The Pasco Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 8, 2008

WESLEY CHAPEL - Florida Blood Services' Wesley Chapel Donor Center will be closed Sunday through Sept. 14 while it is being expanded and remodeled to better serve donors.

To prevent blood shortages, a news release stated, a bloodmobile will be stationed on the following days in the Village Market Plaza parking lot at 5319 Village Drive, at the southeast corner of Interstate 75 and State Road 54.

A bloodmobile will be on-site Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Tuesday through Sept. 13 and on Aug. 25 and Sept. 1. Prospective blood or platelet donors can walk in or book an appointment online at www.fbsdonor.org, using the Blood Center code TB032. All donors will receive a free movie ticket and wellness checkup, including a cholesterol screening, the news release stated.

Generally, healthy people age 16 (with parental permission) or older who weigh at least 110 pounds can be blood donors. Identification is required. For eligibility questions, call 1-800-68 BLOOD (25663).

"As stewards of our community's blood supply, Florida Blood Services' goal is to assure that each patient has the right component of the right blood type, in the right quantity, at the right time and in the right place," J.B. Gaskins, vice president of donor systems, said in the news release.

"Eighty percent of our donors visit bloodmobiles, which, until now, has limited them to only donating whole blood or red blood cells. This new automated bloodmobile will allow donors, based on their blood type and other criteria, to give whatever blood component is most needed by patients. It is really a Donor Center on wheels, and we are relieved that we can station it in front of our Wesley Chapel Donor Center during this expansion, so our donors there can continue to help area patients."
Florida Blood Services provides for the blood needs of patients at 37 hospitals in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk counties.

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