PIERRE, S.D.(DRGNews)- Avera hospitals in Gettysburg, Miller and Pierre among those now receiving blood and blood products from LifeServe Blood Center rather than Vitalant

LifeServe Blood Center is now the sole supplier of all blood and blood products for nine of Avera’s hospitals in South Dakota– including the ones in Gettysburg, Miller and Pierre.

Since the beginning of the year, those nine hospitals– which also include the Avera hospital in Aberdeen and Avera-affiliated hospitals in Britton and Redfield– have been receiving blood products from LifeServe Blood Center rather than former supplier Vitalant. Hospitals in Eureka, Bowdle, and Faulkton will begin receiving all of their blood products from LifeServe starting in April 2022.

LifeServe Blood Center Director of Public Relations and Marketing Danielle West says they have locations in Mitchell and Yankton and have been serving as the only blood provider to those hospitals for years. She says as a community-based blood center, LifeServe only hosts blood drives in the communities where the donations will go back into the area hospitals.

West says to ensure blood donors in the community continue to support their local hospital, LifeServe will honor any blood donors current donation and gallon level milestones when donating with LifeServe. She says an Aberdeen-based facility will hopefully be operational in the next six months.

If you’re interested in donating blood or hosting a blood drive at your business or organization, visit lifeservebloodcenter.org or call LifeServe at 1-800-287-4903.

LifeServe Blood Center, one of two non-profit, community-based blood centers in South Dakota, provides 100% of all blood products needed to more than 130 hospitals across South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa.