Blood donations are typically at their lowest in summer months and around the holidays. In an effort to encourage potential blood donors to do their part in replenishing the blood supply during the high-need summer days, Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center (headquartered in Davenport, IA) organized a post-Fourth of July blood drive in partnership with Greater St. Louis area radio station, KSHE-95 FM.

The 34^th Annual KSHE Summer Blood Drive was held July 6-7, 2018 and had tremendous local turnout, including over 500 first-time donors. Blood donations were accepted at nine locations – one MVRBC donor center and eight mobile drives – spanning two states (Missouri and Illinois). With the promotional efforts of KSHE and the efficient professionalism of MVRBC staff, the event was responsible for registering and procuring donations from over 2000 donors.

The KSHE Summer Blood Drive is one of the largest and oldest media blood drives in the country. This year’s event was the most successful of the past four years of the event’s history.

Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center supplies blood and blood products to hospitals throughout the Midwest (including Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin). MVRBC uses IT Synergistics’ BECS system and hosting services both in-house and out in the field. With the high volume of donations processed during this event, mostly at mobile locations, MVRBC staff needed reliable support from its technology –  applications, Affirm and Process (formerly DoVac Elite and LifeTec Elite, respectively), proved to be up to the challenge and expeditiously helped meet demand.