Over the course of a half century, ImpactLife has seen its share of changes from its organization to its locations, services, and the faces of staff, volunteers and donors. But what has never wavered is the mission – to save lives by providing blood products and services to patients and communities in need.
“Our name is our mission in action,” Amanda Hess, ImpactLife’s vice president of donor relations and marketing, told a celebratory crowd gathered Tuesday, Nov. 19, to mark the blood center’s golden anniversary.
The event, which included an open house, was held at ImpactLife’s headquarters at 5500 Lakeview Parkway, Davenport. Nearly 100 supporters, donors, staff and community leaders packed the sun-filled room at the center to celebrate ImpactLife’s past and future.
“The size and scope of our blood center and even our name has changed, but our appreciation for our donors, our sponsor groups, hospital partners, volunteers and especially our ImpactLife team remains as strong as ever,” ImpactLife CEO Mike Parejko said to the crowd.
The blood center traces its roots to 1974 with the merger of the Scott County and Rock Island County blood banks. On Nov. 5, 1974, their respective boards created the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center – a name that would remain until 2021 when it adopted the ImpactLife name.
Scope, reach expanded
The new name, leaders said, reflected the nonprofit’s growth beyond the Mississippi River valley. Today, ImpactLife provides blood to more than 120 hospitals and emergency medical service providers across Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin. It also supplies blood products to researchers and resource sharing partners across the United States.
“The miracle of this place is the right blood on the right shelf at the right time,” ImpactLife Board Chair Nathan Sondgeroth said, representing the board of directors.
Over the years, ImpactLife has brought other partners and collaborators into the fold. Among those that now are part of ImpactLife, he said, are the former Southeast Iowa Blood Center in Ottumwa, Central Illinois Blood Center in Springfield, and Community Blood Services of Illinois in Urbana.
“While we might be in Davenport, Iowa, right now, we really are a four-state enterprise serving donors all over the upper Midwest … and really truly the world,” said Mr. Sondgeroth, who also is executive director of Vera French Foundation, and a third generation blood donor.
In addition to its northeast Davenport headquarters, ImpactLife operates 23 donor collection sites from St. Louis, Missouri, to Madison, Wisconsin, and from Danville, Illinois, to Ottumwa, Iowa, said Kirby Winn, ImpactLife’s public relations manager.
In the Quad Cities region, it also operates small blood collection sites in west Davenport, Moline and Muscatine, Iowa. A fourth collection site is at the headquarters, which also houses other functions, he said, such as human resources, IT and administration. ImpactLife’s other sizable centers are in St. Louis and Springfield and provide laboratory space, production facilities, and blood collection sites.
In all, ImpactLife employs more than 800 workers, including 300 in the Quad Cities, Mr. Winn said.
Impacted family’s gratitude
Ms. Hess, who leads donor relations, told the crowd that most of the population is unaware of ImpactLife’s mission and importance “until they or someone they love” needs their life-saving blood and blood products.
Guest speaker Jessica McKearney shared how she and her family fit that description, that is, until their son Hudson was diagnosed with leukemia just before his second birthday. Over his 3 ½ years of cancer treatment, he received 10 blood transfusions. Since his cancer journey, their family has been active in advocating for blood donations and even organized five Hudson Heroes blood drives locally to help raise awareness and donations.
“We have seen firsthand what blood donations can do for your child,” said Ms. McKearney, who was joined at the event by her husband Kyle and 4-month-old son Colson. His brother Hudson, who now is 7 and in remission, and their sister Violet, 6, could not attend.
But in her remarks, Ms. McKearney shared what young Hudson, now a first grader, told her “that morning before getting out of the car, ‘Do not forget to tell them thank you and without all that blood I would not be alive.’ That’s coming from a 7-year-old.”
Leaders’ vision
Mr. Parejko, who became ImpactLife’s fourth CEO in 2014, told the crowd “It is truly my honor to stand here on the shoulders of giants who came before us.” He applauded the vision of his predecessors, Dick Navota, Pat Englander and David Green, past and present board members and chairs, as well as the leadership and support of Dr. Louis Katz, who was in the back of the room.
“Lou’s impact on advancing blood safety and transfusion medicine is hard to measure,” Mr. Parejko said, adding “And it will have a lasting impact for decades to come.”
Dr. Katz, whose 35-year association with ImpactLife includes serving as chief medical officer before retiring, has been a force in the blood industry locally and beyond. He once served as president of America’s Blood Centers. His association began in 1983, while working as an infectious disease doctor, treating HIV patients.
After the ceremony, Dr. Katz told the QCBJ he actually prefers when ImpactLife and the blood center is invisible to the community because that means all is in order. “If we’re invisible, it means the blood supply is robust and people are getting the blood they need,” he said.
To mark the golden anniversary, the Quad Cities Chamber Ambassadors hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony with ImpactLife leaders, staff and supporters.
“We want to say thank you for your investment in the community and thank you for 50 years,” Peter Tokar III, chamber president & CEO, said.
Acknowledging how a wealth of local businesses help enhance, entertain and improve the lives of Quad Citizens, he said “There are only a handful that will save your life. And ImpactLife is one of those corporations not only making an impact in the Quad cities but in all the communities you serve.”
Embracing innovation
“I’m immensely proud to be part of this great organization and have the privilege to work with such a talented group of people that add up to the best team in our industry,” Mr. Parejko said before describing ImpactLife’s history and journey.
He also stressed that “It is very evident that our blood center has always embraced innovation, working at the leading edge of our industry.”
Among the innovations and advancements of ImpactLife are:
- A move from paper-based donor registration process to a computer-automated process.
- The introduction of online blood donation scheduling and online pre-donation screening for donors.
- Leading the movement using the concept of Mixed Reality to enhance the blood donation experience.
- Working in the transfusion medicine space, supporting the healthcare continuum by providing life saving blood components to patients.
- Investing in cellular therapy space with the goal of not just treating disease states but also someday preventing and curing diseases.
- Electronic donor history questionnaire vs. a staff member conducting an in-person survey.
Mr. Parejko also shared his excitement for a partnership that ImpactLife’s recently announced “in the premarket development stages for frontline On Demand plasma (lyophilized plasma) to be used in the pre-hospital setting.”
That technology, he added, will make it possible for EMS to expand treatment and deliver a transfusion while at the scene of an injury.
Ms. Hess reminded supporters and donors how “Blood transfusions provided by volunteer donors are used in settings from the emergency room to oncology, obstetrics, general surgery and more.”
She added that ImpactLife is there for patients every hour of every day. “Blood products are needed everyday at the hospitals, on ambulances, on helicopters and for researchers who are looking for tomorrow’s treatments of critical illness.”
