BCP to Open New Peninsula Center in Millbrae

February 1, 2007

Grand Opening Celebration Scheduled for Valentine’s Day

Blood Centers of the Pacific (BCP) – the nonprofit blood bank serving the Peninsula for 65 years – is opening its new Peninsula Center on Tuesday, February 6th in Millbrae.

The new center, located between El Camino Real and Highway 101, is located at 111 Rollins Road in Millbrae. The 8,000 square foot center features regular blood donor beds and four apheresis “e-Chairs.” Apheresis allows blood donors to donate specific components of blood, such as platelets, which are often used in complex surgeries and for those undergoing chemotherapy. The state-of-the-art “e-Chairs” allow donors to go online or watch DVDs while making their apheresis donations.

The center will be the second largest of BCP’s 12 Northern California donation locations.

To celebrate the new center, BCP is hosting a special Valentine’s Day Grand Opening on Wednesday, February 14 from 11 to 1pm. Millbrae Mayor, Marc Hershman and other local dignitaries, will be on hand to help mark the occasion and guests will be treated to special gifts, including See’s candies. The event is open to everyone.

The Peninsula Center originally opened in San Mateo in 1942 at Mills Memorial Hospital. In 1954, it moved to the grounds of Mills Peninsula Hospital in Burlingame, where it operated until last April, when the blood center moved to a temporary location in San Mateo to allow the hospital to begin its retrofitting construction.

BCP’s Peninsula Center will be open for blood donations:

Mondays, 8:00 am – 3:30 pm
Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays, 11:00 am – 6:30 pm
Fridays, 8:00 am – 3:30 pm
Saturday 8:00 am – 2:00 pm

To donate blood, call 888-393-GIVE or visit www.bloodcenters.org.

BCP is a nonprofit organization that provides volunteer blood donations to 40 hospitals throughout the region, including eight on the Peninsula.

Contact: Lisa Bloch, BCP
415-749-6612