Dr. Settle William Townsend Jr.

The Community Blood Center (CBC) began operation in September 1964. In 1964, the CBC served two Dayton area hospitals, and by 1965 it had expanded to serving the blood needs of all general hospitals in Dayton. Since 1967, CBC has grown to its present service area of 25 hospitals in 15 counties with a totally volunteer donor base. At least 325 pints of whole blood must be collected daily from volunteer donors to sufficiently meet patient transfusion needs. This year that need is projected to reach more than 70,000 units of blood products. All donated blood becomes part of the general blood supply. Each unit of blood is tested, typed and processed by the Dayton CBC laboratory, then distributed daily to the 24 area hospitals. In November 1986, CBC expanded operations and started the Dayton Regional Tissue Center. In 1994, the name was changed to Community Tissue Services (CTS) and there are now CTS branches in Indianapolis, Indiana; Fort Worth, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and Fresno, California, in addition to the Dayton headquarters. Since its beginning, CTS has doubled in size each year, and it now provides tissue for more than 2,000 hospital and physician clients across the nation. CBC is a 501(c) 3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation. Operating income is derived from the charges made to the hospitals for blood and blood products, transfusions and for patient services and tests, as well as the distribution of tissue to hospitals and physicians.