The Northern New England Blog

By Dan Dowling – regional communications manager “It’s so interesting to figure out what’s going on with that patient and what kind of blood they might need.” Beth Champney Beth Champney, supervisor of the American Red Cross Immunohematology Reference Lab (IRL) in Burlington, Vermont, has spent decades in immunohematology. She still lights up when she talks about the complexity of the work. There are 44 IRL labs staffed by the Red Cross across the country. The Burlington lab is the only one in Northern New England and supports 42 hospitals in Vermont and New Hampshire. Every day, hospital patients across Vermont and New Hampshire rely on blood that is not only compatible but precisely matches their unique medical needs. Behind the scenes, a team at the Burlington IRL makes that possible. “I think what I like best about it is the investigation – the things that are somewhat complicated,” Champney says. Her t...