Did you know the first blood bank in the nation was opened at Cook County hospital in 1937? During World War I soldiers who needed certain blood types had difficulty receiving the right kind of care. A Chicago physician, Bernard Fantus, came with up a way to preserve blood and store it for longer periods of time so patients to access blood without having to for a donor.

The new blood bank opened on March 15, 1937 in Cook County Hospital. The initial opening cost was $1,500 and facilitated 1,354 transfusions in its first year. Previously, a patient would have to find a suitable donor on short notice. This method would create complications as there were matching errors and errors in preparation.   

Since the opening of the blood bank, millions have been saved by the readily available blood. According to Cook County Health, nearly 21 million blood components are transfused a year. This medical innovation is one Illinois’ many contributions to growth and development in our country.