Blood Donors Are Needed After Local Supply Was Depleted By Heat Wave

As a result of recent extreme humid-ity and high temperatures, blood donations fell by 25 percent, leaving the community blood supply at risk and in a critical state far below what is required to adequately serve local patients. Therefore, New York Blood Center, which serves close to 200 NY & NJ hospitals, has issued an immediate and urgent appeal for donations and blood drives.

Anyone eligible to donate blood or host a blood drive is urged to call 1-800-933-BLOOD or go to www.ny-bloodcenter.org to schedule an immediate appointment or locate the most convenient donor location in Brooklyn or Staten Island.

“Our supply of some blood types, including O Positive, O Negative, A negative and B Negative, is so low we have been forced to ration distribution to area hospitals because we simply don’t have enough to go around,” explained Dr. Robert Jones, New York Blood Center President & CEO. “We foresee an even worsening blood shortage situation for the balance of this summer if people don’t rally to this plea by rolling up their sleeve to give the gift of life on behalf of their neighbors and their community.”

Additionally, more summer blood drives are needed. “Our community needs 2,000 volunteer donations each and every day to ensure patient transfusion care is met locally,” adds Michele G. Shenfeld, New York Blood Center Vice President & Executive Director of Brooklyn/ Staten Island Blood Services. “We don’t see an increase in donations and drives. It’s almost certain increased blood rationing will occur and local surgeries could be cancelled.”

New York Blood Center provides all blood drives with highly skilled, professional staff, sterile equipment, donor beds, refreshments and market-ing expertise. Groups wanting to host a blood drive just need to provide space and commitment. Blood donors must be at least age 17 (or 16 in New York) if written parental permission is provided), weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in generally good health. Donors must also meet all other Food & Drug Administration and New York and New Jersey De-partments of Health donor criteria.