The Community Blood Center of the Carolinas (CBCC) and the Charlotte office of the American Cancer Society announced today that they have joined together for a new initiative, "I Support the Fight." The program runs from Oct. 1-31, 2011.

The community can help support local cancer patients in several ways: donate blood or platelets in honor of a loved one, join "Team CBCC" in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk on Saturday, Oct. 29, or participate in the "Road to Recovery" program and provide rides for cancer patients to and from their treatment. During the month of October, donors who give blood at one of CBCC’s four donor centers or at select community blood drives will receive a special ‘I Support the Fight’ T-shirt.

“We value relationships with organizations such as the Community Blood Center of the Carolinas because it takes an army of supporters to fight cancer,” said Rita Harmon Law, South Atlantic Division Mission Delivery Director of the American Cancer Society. “Through this collaboration, we are working together to raise awareness about this disease and to support cancer survivors with our programs and services and also through blood donation. Donating blood or platelets is a powerful way for people to truly make an impact and help those battling cancer.”

As the primary blood supplier to the region, CBCC provides nearly 400 blood products every day to help patients being treated in area hospitals. Cancer patients are the primary users of blood and blood products, with approximately 16% of red blood cells and 26% of platelets being transfused to local patients.

“Through our ‘I Support the Fight’ promotion with the American Cancer Society, we hope to raise awareness about the need for blood for local cancer patients," said Martin Grable, president and CEO of Community Blood Center of the Carolinas. “Red blood cells and platelets are needed to replenish those in the body when bone marrow slows or stops producing them, caused by either the cancer itself or the chemo and/or radiation therapy to treat it. We often hear the friends and loved ones of patients battling cancer asking what they can do to help. The answer is: donate blood and platelets.”