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Donors Needed As Local Supplies Are Dangerously Low Brooklyn, Staten Island Blood Ser-vices (BSI), a division of the New York Blood Center (NYBC), recently announced that the supply of blood has reached an emergency level following the holiday period. As 2007 moves into its third week, New York Blood Center has less than a two-day supply of some blood types and urgently asks all those eligible to donate blood immediately. Start the New Year by giving the gift of life and do your part this month during "National Volunteer Blood Donor Month." "Everyone who gives blood regularly, saves lives. It's that simple," said Michele G. Shenfeld, BSI Executive Director and Vice Presi-dent of NYBC. "There is no substitute for human blood and our region's only source is volunteer blood do-nors." The New York/New Jersey metropolitan area requires nearly 2,000 volunteer donations daily to serve patients in area hospitals. "We are already reducing supply to our hospital customers of 0 Negative and B Negative blood," adds Robert L Jones, MD - New York Blood Center President & CEO. "To avoid that situation getting worse, and the possibility of expanded blood rationing to area hospitals, we need people to understand how important blood donation is to the health of their neighbors and larger community. We appeal not only to individuals but to corporations, churches, synagogues, and schools to hold blood drives in the next few weeks to raise our levels of all blood types," Dr. Jones continued. New York Blood Center urges both past and new blood donors to donate this month and throughout the year. Four million Americans would die each year if donated blood were not available. In fact, one of every three people will require a life-saving transfusion sometime in their life. Donors must be at least 16 years old, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in generally good health. For convenient donation locations in Brooklyn and Staten Island, please call 1-800-933-BLOOD or visit www.nybloodcenter.org.
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