The Red Cross plays a critical role in our nation’s health care system through our Biomedical Services mission. As the largest single supplier of blood and blood products in the United States, the Red Cross collects and processes approximately 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply.
Here in Central & Southern Ohio, we are a vital component to the success of these efforts. In 2023, we collected over 132,000 units of blood at our nearly 5,500 community blood drives and our six fixed blood collection sites.
Our Blood Manufacturing Laboratory located in Columbus, Ohio, processes nearly 350,000 blood products annually from throughout our 47-county region, as well as Toledo, OH and Lancing, MI. The lab also processes blood products sent from other areas of the country when needed.
The blood collected and processed in our region supports area hospitals and the Red Cross’ national inventory system. When blood is urgently requested, we mobilize our systems to locate the right type of blood, no matter where it was collected, and deliver it where it’s needed.