Giving blood will be easier for Federal Way residents, thanks to the opening of the Puget Sound Blood Center that will serve as a stationary headquarters for donations.

Puget Sound Blood Center opened a new donor center in Federal Way last Thursday, August 13.

The new donor center joins ten other donor centers currently operated by Puget Sound Blood Center throughout Western Washington. All donor centers are supported with bloodmobiles and other additional mobile collection units.

The Puget Sound Blood Center has been serving Western Washington donors with community and mobile blood drives for more than 60 years.

The opening of this new center is in direct response to the needs of the 13,000 active donors in Federal Way and South King County, who have indicated a preference for a permanent location with fixed hours. This new center in Federal Way will help to meet an anticipated growing demand in the area due to population growth and changing demographics in our population.

The grand opening ceremony featured dozens of visitors, including members of the Federal Way Chamber and City Council. Mayor Michael Park gave an address to the audience, which included television and print media, heralding the new center as great addition to a growing city.

The mayor used the platform to add a plug about the city's hopes to annex portions of unincorporated King County in the August 22 vote. He said an expanding city like Federal Way-a community with more than 100,000 citizens if voters pass the annexation measure-needs the services provided by a centrally-located blood center.

"At Puget Sound Blood Center, our mission is to provide steady, safe and reliable blood and tissue services to the communities, hospitals and patients we serve," said Dr. Richard B. Counts, President and CEO.

"Throughout its history, the Blood Center has not been satisfied with the status quo or the current envelope of capability. It is important to continuously plan for the future in order to advance our ability to provide transfusion support and to make major contributions in transfusion medicine through research. We are confident this new center will help us better serve Federal Wayand South King County, and we look forward to expanding our relationship with the people of this thriving community."

The Blood Center currently supplies blood services to more than 70 hospitals and clinics, including several in Federal Way and South King County. These locations include Madigan Army Hospital, ValleyGeneral Medical Center, Highline Hospital, Enumclaw Regional and Auburn Regional.

These hospitals are served in several ways, including blood for transfusions, matching donated blood for patients, and other tissue and research services.

"Puget Sound Blood Center has long served our community and we are thrilled that the Blood Center is expanding their presence in Federal Way," said David Caton, OD, community volunteer leader. "Our community is rapidly expanding and growing, and as the population ages and huge numbers of Baby Boomers move into their 60's, our need for a safe and stable blood supply will grow as well. We're pleased that we will be able to continue our reliance on Puget Sound Blood Center."

The new Federal Way donor center will be located at 1414 S. 324th Street, in Celebration Center, the heart of the Federal Way shopping and commercial district, just across Pacific Highway South from The Commons.

Puget Sound Blood Center is an independent, community-based regional resource recognized internationally for its research, medical, and blood and tissue services. Known as the leader in transfusion medicine, Puget Sound Blood Center operates the world's largest transfusion service as well as patient-focused research programs and specialized laboratory services in support of transfusion and transplantation services. Patients with leukemia, cancer, burns, hemophilia and traumatic injuries depend on the breakthrough discoveries made by Blood Center scientists.