Marsh Blood Bank

Marsh Regional Blood Center (MRBC) is an independent, regional blood bank which exists to provide a safe and cost effective blood supply for the hospitals of Wellmont Health System and other regional medical facilities. MRBC currently collects, processes, tests and stores approximately 25,000 units of blood and blood products annually, serving sixteen local hospitals.

Since establishing the region's first independent blood bank at Kingsport's Holston Valley Community Hospital in 1947, our goal has been to collect and maintain a blood supply to meet local needs. First accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) in 1952, the Kingsport blood bank has grown steadily over the years thanks to continuous support from area blood donors.

In 1987, the blood bank was officially named "Marsh Regional Blood Center" in honor of Lois Marsh, its founder and supervisor for forty years.

Beginning in 1991, Marsh Regional Blood Center gained a satellite collection facility through the addition of the Community Blood Bank of Norton (CBBN), which was established in 1953 by the Norton Lion's Club to serve hospitals in Southwest Virginia. CBBN continued to serve as a fixed blood collection site until 2006, when it transitioned to a mobile collection facility utilizing the resources of Marsh's three bloodmobiles. The new "mobile" Community Blood Bank of Norton continues to help meet the needs of our region by providing convenient and flexible locations for donors in Southwest Virginia.

When the Holston Valley and Bristol Regional Medical Centers created Wellmont Health System in 1996, Marsh gained its third fixed donation center. Bristol's blood bank had been operating through Bristol Memorial Hospital since 1956 and was an important addition to the MRBC system. By combining resources with Bristol, Marsh Regional Blood Center was able to continue meeting the growing need for blood and blood products throughout the region.

In recent years, Marsh's donor base has continued to increase both in number and area as the blood bank has grown to serve other regional medical facilities. MRBC is currently the sole supplier of blood and blood products for 16 hospitals in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

Today Marsh Regional Blood Center operates a donation center, processing center, and blood bank in Kingsport, a donation center in Bristol, and three bloodmobiles which provide remote collection opportunities at businesses, churches, and civic organizations around our area.

Marsh Regional Blood Center is a member of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and the Tennessee Association of Blood Banks (TABB), and is a federally inspected and licensed blood center through the FDA. For information about these groups and other resources, use the links below.

American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) - www.aabb.org
Food & Drug Administration (FDA) - www.fda.gov
Tennessee Association of Blood Banks (TABB) - www.tabbonline.org