MARSHFIELD – Marshfield’s Versiti Blood Center is doubling down on their donation space in an effort to fill a local need.
“We have kind of outgrown our space that we had here. And so we just needed more room, really, to accommodate all the donors we were seeing. So, we took over this extra 900 square feet, and we were able to tear some walls down and just make it bigger,” said Jamie Elmhorst, Versiti supervisor of donor services in La Crosse and Marshfield
“It’s kind of been in the works for a few years — kind of what we wanted it to look like — but last January, February, we had the Boson Company come in and just do a walk-through with us. That's their expertise to kind of see how flow would work. And then they started renovation here in June.”
“It's a four-phase project. We were able to accomplish phase one and two, which is all the donor-facing stuff.”
Phase No. 3 and No. 4 would involve the back end of things.
Elmhorst said that for the donor area, it was about the flow.
“Just having more room because we're very tight and squished. So changing the tech area, the cafe area, and for the staff to just give them more room,” Elmhorst said.
Phases No. 3 and No.4 will occur in 2026.
“Now that we’re Versiti Blood Center, Wisconsin, so the color scheme matches all the other donor centers throughout Wisconsin, and it's just bright and more welcoming,” Jamie added.
A focus on Marshfield
Elmhorst said that the need for donor flow is great as they try to get as many people as they can in the door.
“We need every single person in this town to come donate blood, where the sole supplier is Marshfield Medical Center. So, if we don't have donors coming in the door to give blood, if they don't have blood to use right up here at our hospital, right in town, and they need blood every day, we need our donors in here every single day to help us out,” Elmhorst explained.
“And all of the blood that we collect here stays local.
“We have partnered with them ever since 1997, ever since we came to Marshfield.
“So all the blood that's used in surgeries for cancer patients, trauma victims, heart surgeries, comes directly from us right here in these four walls.
“People need people. Like, we can't manufacture blood. It's not something that can be made or mixed in a lab. You need every single person to roll up their sleeve and donate the life saving gift to save another life.
Need for awareness
While the blood center is out in the community, Elmhorst said that there is still a need for increased awareness.
“We changed names from Blood Center Wisconsin to Versiti Blood Center Wisconsin when we grew, and we have a five-state (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin) footprint now. So we help out other states as well as here in Wisconsin,” Jamie said.
“The people that donate blood are older. There's a big age gap between those older folks and our younger folks. They could be 16 (years old) to donate blood. So getting into those high schools is super important and keeping people donating throughout their life.
“We have a little presentation we can do, even for elementary kids, and just really (drive) the awareness. We have different patient stories we can play, where it really hits home.
“We take care of over 60 hospitals throughout the state of Wisconsin, and we supply all their blood products directly from Versiti Blood Center, Wisconsin.”
“If we didn't have our donors coming in the door, there might not be blood in the hospital. And our doctors have a hard, hard job at hand when there is a trauma coming in and there's not a lot of blood on the shelf, and they have to pick and choose who's going to get those units or how many units are they going to get?
“Because the reality is, maybe only 3% of the population gives blood. That's kind of scary.
“We maybe see 12 people a day, and we really should be seeing like 40.”
Versiti is located at 508 N. Central Ave., Marshfield.
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