Blood donors help save lives, but only 4% of the population donates blood.
There are eight different blood types – A+, A-, B-, B+, O-, O+, AB+, AB- – and type O blood donors are critically needed now in South Carolina.
Types O negative and O positive are always in high demand. According to the American Red Cross, only 7% of the population is O negative, but the need for O negative blood is the highest since it is used most often during emergencies. Additionally, type O negative blood is the universal blood type needed for emergency transfusions and for immune-deficient infants. The need for O positive blood is high because it is the most frequently-occurring blood type – 37% of the population.
Platelets are also currently in high demand in the Palmetto State. Remember that you can donate platelets every seven days and up to 24 times a year, so you can make a big impact.
We have compiled a list of ongoing blood drives and blood bank centers where you can donate regularly and save lives, as well as information on how often you can give each blood component.
You can learn about upcoming blood drives in your area of the state by visiting https://www.oneblood.org/donate-now/ and entering your zip code. OneBlood even offers schools, businesses, churches or community gatherings the opportunity to host their own blood drives by filling out an online form at https://www.oneblood.org/host-a-blood-drive/.
The Blood Connection also has an online feature where you can search for mobile drives and donor centers by zip code and date: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/zip.
Ongoing Blood Drives in South Carolina American Red Cross Donation Centers
Columbia Blood Donation Center
2751 Bull St.
Monday – Wednesday, Noon to 8 p.m.
Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday – Sunday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Myrtle Beach Blood Donation Center
3681 Renee Drive, Unit #4
Friday – Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wednesday, Noon to 8 p.m.
Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
West Ashley Blood Donation Center
2000 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.
Monday – Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday – Sunday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Mount Pleasant Blood Donation Center
920 Houston Northcutt Blvd.
Monday – Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday – Sunday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Blood Connection Blood Donation Centers
Greenville • 435 Woodruff Road
864-239-2937
Greenwood • 341 Old Abbeville Hwy.
864-227-8333
Easley • 5116 Calhoun Memorial Hwy.
864-644-0030
Seneca • 1308 Sandifer Blvd.
864-882-8364
Spartanburg • 270 N. Grove Medical Park Drive
864-641-6013
Other South Carolina Blood Donation Centers
One Blood
Beaufort • 1001 Boundary St.
843-522-0409
Specialty Sera
Charleston • 1704 Old Towne Road
843-766-5544
CSL Plasma
North Charleston • 3725 Rivers Ave., Suite 7
843-554-3381
Shepeard Community Blood Center
Aiken • 353 Fabian Drive
803-643-7996
KED Plasma
Myrtle Beach • 1890 Joe White Ave.
843-353-3796
Biotest Plasma Center
Clemson • 500 Old Greenville Hwy., Suite 500-2
864-633-507