Carter BloodCare hosts Ukrainian health professionals in North Texas
The need for blood is a global connection, in times of peace and conflict
BEDFORD, Texas (Oct. 21, 2022) – Carter BloodCare welcomed delegates from Ukraine in an international collaboration on blood donor recruitment and management. The six emissaries were hosted at the blood center’s North Texas headquarters in Bedford Oct. 17 – 21.
It comes at a moment in Ukraine’s history when blood resources have renewed importance. As the war continues unabated, the Ukrainian health care community faces extraordinary challenges in the supply and demand for transfusions.
The weeklong visit included strategic sessions with Carter BloodCare leaders and health care professionals on all facets of blood resource management. Interactive presentations ranged from collection, testing and processing to donor engagement, hospital services and quality assurance, along with in-person tours of donor centers and on-site mobile blood drives.
The delegates represented a spectrum of professional expertise, including Ministry of Health directors, a transplant doctor, a state expert on blood service development, and the donor association president.
The visit was made possible through the Grapevine Rotary Club and the Open World Program, sponsored by the Congressional Office for International Leadership.
“The delegates were very appreciative of the Grapevine and Colleyville Rotary Clubs’ host families and other community supporters providing a safe and friendly environment during their short stay in the DFW area,” said Kevin Sellers with the Grapevine Rotary Club.
The Open World Program focuses on developing a network of leaders who gain an understanding of the ways American communities deal with contemporary issues, and who want to maintain contact with their new American contacts and other counterparts.
“The Ukrainian delegation’s visit reinforced the United States’ continuing and impactful commitment to support those in need,” said Sellers. “Also, Dr. Merlyn Sayers, the president and CEO of Carter BloodCare, is a member of the Grapevine Rotary. It was a natural fit for the Grapevine Rotary Club to host the delegates and provide them with meaningful and lasting blood banking vocational lessons and American cultural and social experiences.”
“The need for blood unites us all.”
Carter BloodCare has a history of supporting Ukraine’s critical need for and management of blood resources.
Earlier this year, Carter BloodCare and fellow U.S. blood centers took part in a humanitarian initiative to secure purchase of crucial blood supplies for Ukraine.
Carter BloodCare officials noted that Ukrainian hospitals, blood centers and warehouses storing blood collection supplies have been destroyed or damaged due to intense artillery shelling. As missile and drone attacks against Ukraine’s citizens have intensified in recent weeks, it is a devastating reminder for the international community of the ongoing need for the precious, lifesaving resource of blood.
“The need for blood unites us all,” said Veronica Moore, Vice President of Marketing and Operations Support with Carter BloodCare. “It is a need that our colleagues from Ukraine understand and experience all too well, on deeply personal and unprecedented levels. We are grateful to be able to support and build bridges of shared knowledge and healing.”
About Carter BloodCare
Carter BloodCare is an independent, community blood center providing transfusion resources to more than 200 medical facilities in 50-plus counties of North, Central and East Texas. The nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization is one of the largest blood programs in Texas, delivering more than 440,000 blood products annually to meet hospitals’ requirements for their patients. Services include collection, processing, specialized laboratory testing, storage and distribution of blood and blood products.
To schedule an individual donation with Carter BloodCare, call 800-366-2834 or visit CarterBloodCare.org and click the Donate Now tab.
