Illinois Innovation – Chicago Blood Bank

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.

Illinois high school graduates create food expiration app to reduce waste

Food waste is a serious issue facing our country that not everyone may be familiar with. According to the USDA, roughly 30-40% of the national food supply is wasted annually, which equates to nearly 133 billion pounds of food with a value of $161 billion. Yet in 2023, over 18 million households experienced food insecurity.

To help combat food waste and improve food accessibility, a team of three recent Illinois high school graduates from Plainfield North High School — Nicholas Powell, Hubert Stasik and Tharun Veeraiah, collectively known as Team Expiri — presented at the prestigious INCubatoredu National Pitch Competition held in Chicago in July.

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A celebration of heritage and community at the Warren County Prime Beef Festival

In the heart of West‑Central Illinois, the town of Monmouth prides itself on being the “Prime Beef Center of the World,” and its annual Warren County Prime Beef Festival stands as a testament to that claim. This community celebration brings together generations of cattle producers, local families and visitors to recognize the foundational role of agriculture in the area’s past, present and future.

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Bikers on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago!

This past week, Chicago’s lakefront welcomed bikers from all over the country to the annual “Bike the Drive” event, giving cyclists of all skill-levels and ages the chance to hit the road on a 30-mile loop normally designated for cars only.

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