1947
Ike Smalls' volunteer blood donor referral program supplied four Des Moines area hospitals with blood. The Des Moines Hospital Council saw the growing need for blood products and appointed Smalls as the director of the Polk County Blood Donor Service, otherwise known as the start of LifeServe Blood Center.
It’s a regular weekday evening for Ike Smalls, owner of Des Moines grocer and Hospital Supply Company. He restocks the rolls of gauze, totals the sales for the day, packages an order for the following morning, sweeps away the leaves that flew in from the street, and makes his approach to lock up for the night. Ike stands under the stoop and fidgets in his pockets for the key, pulling it loose, bringing it to the brass doorknob and latch.
“Mr. Smalls, Mr. Smalls, Mr. Smalls!!” bellows from the street, increasing in volume as an individual rushes to a halt in front of him, nearing collision. Out of breath, the individual exclaims in panic that their sibling, a well-known customer of Ike’s, had been hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer. What could Ike do? He was not a doctor or surgeon. He could supply prescriptions, materials, and tools for use by the hospital. But that was not what was needed in this critical time. This person needed blood.
In 1937, Ike Smalls formed central Iowa’s first blood donor referral process, after offering $5 to any donor who could supply blood to help his customer. Over the next decade, the demand for blood products by the four Des Moines Hospitals grew to exceed Smalls’ volunteer operation. By 1947, it was obvious that the growing community required a growing blood donor pool. Ike Smalls was appointed as the first director of the Polk County Blood Donor Service by the Des Moines Hospital Council.
In conjunction with the Polk County Medical Society, the Polk County Osteopathic Physicians, and the Des Moines Hospital Council, the Polk County Blood Donor Services became the Community Blood Bank of Central Iowa. Opening its doors in January of 1963, this was the area’s first centralized location to collect, and store blood products for local communities.
Following the model set forth by the Des Moines Hospital Council, the Woodbury Medical Society of Sioux City, Iowa created the Siouxland Community Blood Bank in 1967. Over the seventy-five years of existence, Ike Smalls’ community blood donor service took many names, including the Blood Center of Iowa, but the mission always remained the same. In 2010, the Blood Center of Iowa and Siouxland Community Blood Bank merged to form LifeServe Blood Center, and have continued to expand across Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota.
Though Ike Smalls has passed on, his impact on these communities is ever present. The organization created because of Smalls’ leadership has become one of the fifteen largest blood centers in the country. The message of Smalls’ story remains true today - you do not have to be a physician, surgeon, or emergency medical provider to save lives. A grocer devised the blueprint to save hundreds of thousands of lives across Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Just from one need in your community, one hour in the donor chair, one blood donation, you too can save up to three lives.
Iowa's community blood bank has been traced back to Ike Small, an Iowa grocer who began central Iowa's first blood donor referral process in 1937. Read more about Ike Small, and how he would become the first director of the Polk County Blood Donor Service.
The Blood Center of Iowa and Siouxland Community Blood Bank, two strong, Iowa-based, 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit blood centers, merged operations in April 2010 to become LifeServe Blood Center. The decision to combine operations marked a positive move forward in the centers’ ability to counter-act the rising costs of healthcare by providing hospital customers with lower blood costs and additional value-added benefits. Learn more about the timeline of important events in the history of LifeServe Blood Center.
Today, LifeServe Blood Center collects approximately 156,000 units of blood a year and provides blood and blood products to 157 hospitals primarily in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.
1962
The Community Blood Bank of Central Iowa became incorporated as a not-for-profit organization.
1963
Community Blood Bank of Central Iowa is formed and started collecting blood from donors rather than just recruiting donors.
1967
The Siouxland Community Blood Bank became incorporated as a not-for-profit organization.
1971
blood-postage-stampIssued at a time when blood donations were not keeping up with demand, this postage stamp was meant to raise awareness of blood donor programs, thus increasing needed donations.
1980
The business changed its name to The Blood Center of Central Iowa and completed the building of the 1.5 million dollar facility at 1050 – 7th Street, Des Moines, Iowa.
1983
bdd-1983
First Blood Donor Day event was held at KCCI studios. It was a 9 hour drive and periodically televised.
1985
Testing of donated blood became mandatory by the FDA. The first HIV test was licensed this year.
1992
Blood Center of Iowa - Purchase of first mobile (bus) Bloodmobile.
1996
Siouxland Community Blood bank- Purchase of first mobile (bus) Bloodmobile. First full time Medical Director was hired.
2002
Name was changed to The Blood Center of Iowa and moved center of operations to 431 East Loucst St, Des Moines, IA.
2010
The Blood Center of Iowa and Siouxland Community Blood Bank merged to form LifeServe Blood Center.
2020
LifeServe played a critical role in the fight against COVID by collecting and distributing Convalescent Plasma.
2022
November 24, 2022 marks the official 75th Anniversary of LifeServe Blood Center.
2024
LifeServe Blood Center officially moves Headquarters from Downtown Des Moines, IA, to Johnston, IA.
Painting the town red for our 75th Anniversary
LifeServe plans to paint the town red in celebration of 75 years of saving lives! Since its 1937 inception, LifeServe has expanded across the tri-state region of Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota serving the needs of community hospitals and patients in need through the generosity and kindness of volunteer blood donors helping to ensure a strong, stable blood supply. In 2021, LifeServe’s impact on saving lives reached 161,588 people in need.
In 1947, the most popular holiday toy was a Slinky and the price of gas was only 23¢. A lot has changed over the years, but what has remained consistent is LifeServe Blood Center’s commitment to saving local lives. To kick off our 75th year, we will be celebrating many of the individuals that have made our mission possible.
As we enter the new year, LifeServe’s very own Betty Blood-Drop will host birthday parties at each donor center from Ames to Yankton, SD. She’ll be popping up all around the tri-state area, bringing with her limited edition 75th anniversary goodies, local sweets and treats, and a troupe of her area mascot pals. This upcoming Spring, she’ll step up to the starting blocks and challenge Griff, the Drake Bulldog, to a lifesaving race in the Royal Blue Mile.
From lapel pins and car clings, to street banners and banquets, LifeServe plans to celebrate all that has been accomplished in the past 75 years, and admire how far we’ve come as your community blood center. While so much has changed for blood donation, our mission has stayed the same – saving local lives.
November 2022
To kickoff our celebration we began by calling out donors, volunteers & chair people who are near and dear to the number 75! LifeServe is a proud sponsor of Blank Children’s Hospital Festival of Trees and Lights in Des Moines and the Festival of Trees in Sioux City and will have trees decorated to honor those who have been a part of our 75 year history.
2024 Awards
Previous Awards
2023
Fenwel (Fresenius Kabi HOF) Volunteer - Yvonne Dauterive, CityView Non-Profit - Runner-Up, Business Record Books of Lists, Iowa State Fair Iowan of the Day - Dr. LaVerne Quass, ADRP Media Partner of the Year - WHOTV
2022
FUSE Non-Profit of the Year - Runner-Up, FUSE Community Impact - Runner-Up, CityView Non-Profit - Runner-Up, Iowa Governor's Volunteer Award - Marilyn Hydrick & Jodi Watts
2021
Fenwel (Fresenius Kabi HOF) Volunteer - Russell Heerdt, Iowa Governor's Volunteer Award - Linda Brookins & Jean Curley
2020
Fenwel (Fresenius Kabi HOF) Volunteer - Warren Pitcher
2019
Fenwel (Fresenius Kabi HOF) Volunteer - Steve Pringle, Sally Cartwright Volunteer Award - Dr. LaVerne Quass
2018
Young Story County - Mikayla Reitlif, FUSE DSM (Chamber) - Alice Bandstra
2016
Fenwel (Fresenius Kabi HOF) Volunteer - Ina Hubbard-Heidemann
2013
Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame Awards - Wanda Sellmeyer
2012
Home Instead Senior Hero - Curt Hedrick
2009
Humana Starlight - Warren Pitcher