Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is an independent and non-profit organization that is accredited by Food & Drug Administration. The center was founded way back in January 1, 1975 and is a member of state authorities such as American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), America’s Blood Centers (ABC), Blood Centers of America (BCA), South Central Association of Blood Banks (SCABB) and Texas Medical Center (TMC).

There are more than 700 employees currently working at the blood center. For a center with a large work force, they are driven by their mission to make service available to the community. Serving the gulf coast states enable them to reach out, supply and serve more than 170 health care institutions that are located in Texas Gulf Coast, in Brazos Valley and in East Texas.

To be able to stop blood shortages in supply, The Blood Center has 17 branches opened around the state for every donor along the Gulf of Mexico. Each center involves itself in finding ways to promote visits to their donation drives and donate blood and blood products. For the past year (well on to this year), The Blood Center aim to collect more than 300,000 blood units. This goal will make sure that the area has enough blood to meet the needs of scheduled surgeries and operations as well as emergency or trauma cases. To be able to reach that goal, GRCBC needs a 1,000 donations every day to be able to succeed.

What to Donate:

The center mainly accepts donations in a form of whole blood, platelet, plasma and double red blood cells. About one pint of whole blood is asked for each session. Every whole blood donation is either used for direct transfusion or separated into different components.

In 1991, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center became an accredited member for National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). Since then, The Blood Center raises awareness on and recruit bone marrow donations from different races and ethnic groups.

Bone Marrow Donations:

To be a qualified bone marrow donor, you must be between 18 to 60 and in perfect good shape. Your weight requirement must be based on the results of your body mass index. Your weight in kilograms has to be divided by the square of your height in meters.

Similar to blood donation, you’re not a qualified blood donor if you’re diagnosed with blood diseases such as HIV, hepatitis and uncontrollable hypertension. If you have serious back problems, consider consulting your doctor.

Donation Pay:  None

Incentive Program:

You’ll receive incentives when you Commit for Life!

Commit for Life is a program that was launched in 2003. It’s primary objective is to create a partnership with loyal donors to give blood (about once per quarter).

You can earn points by being a member of Commit for Life. You’re given access to online scheduling and online store. If you’re a gold-level member, you’ll enjoy the perks of having a four-credit advance health check-up. You’ll receive updated newsletters and you can join raffles too.

Gulf Cost Regional also value the importance of education. Education is one of the important keys of a successful life.

For this, the center offers a number of research grants and scholarships to those professionals who want to lift their careers into the next level.

These professionals are given the chance to undergo thorough training in blood banking and its other related disciplines. There’s also an offer of 12-month online training program, in which you’re no longer required to report on-site.

Schedules & Donating Centers:

The Gulf Coast Regional has sixteen branches in the country. In the table below, you’ll be given the exact addresses as well as their operating hours every day. IMPORTANT: Contacting the center before visiting is fully appreciated.

Are you looking for some online maps and testimonials? We got that one covered and free of charge, simply visit this directory and you got it all there.

Source: Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center

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