Area Blood Supply At Crisis Proportions

The blood inventory of New York Blood Center, the majority supplier of blood to New York and New Jersey hospitals, has dropped to crisis proportions. Therefore, New York Blood Center has issued an urgent appeal to all potential blood donors and blood drive organizers. People are being urged to call 800-933-2566 or go towww.nybloodeenter.org to schedule immediate donations. To schedule a blood drive in Brooklyn or Staten Island please call 718-797-7800.

Donations have been sluggish ever since New Year’s, report New York Blood Center officials, and grew worse as a result of January’s snowstorm that cancelled many blood, drives. “But now we have only 300 Type 0 Negative units of blood, 200 Type A Negative units, a little less than 100 Type B Negative units and just 2,000 Type 0 Positive units,” explains Dr. Robert Jones, New York Blood Center President & CFO. “That doesn’t come anywhere close to the 12,000 donations we need each week. Currently, we simply don’t have enough blood on hand to ensure the transfusion health of the millions of people in our community.”

Some donors this winter have been deferred due to increased colds and flus as well as several new Food & Drug Administration donor deferrals. But less than 2% of eligible people donate in the New York and New Jersey area which is far behind the national average, Dr. Jones points out. “Without increased donations, hospitals simply won’t have the required blood needed for patients on their shelves,” concluded Jones. Eligible blood donors are between the ages of 17 to 75 (or older with a doctor’s written permission), weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and in good health. All donors receive a free mini medical exam including a check of their rate, blood pressure, temperature and hemoglobin content to determine donor suitability.

Donations can be made at the Brooklyn Donor Center, 120 Lawrence Street in Downtown Brooklyn on Monday and Thursday from 12:30 to 7:30 P.m., on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 P.M. For information on blood drives in other areas, call 1-800-933-BLOOD.