Summer 2016 Blood Drive:
Community Blood Svcs. – Central Jersey Blood Ctr.
N.J. Red Cross – Community Blood Council
By County: Middlesex · Union
Source: New Brunswick Today
New Jersey Blood Services declared a “Blood Emergency” encouraging the community to donate blood and organize blood drives.
“The blood supply to our communities has reached a critically low level, with under a two-day supply of O negative, B negative, and A negative. Current inventory of several blood types is running below the desired target level,” reads a press release, which added that they were “asking for help to maintain an adequate supply of all blood types, but especially O-negative – the ‘universal’ blood which can be transfused into anyone in an emergency.”
Blood products have a short shelf life between five and 42 days. Blood and blood products can’t be manufactured, so they can only come from volunteer blood donors who take the time (usually less than an hour) to attend a blood drive or visit a donor center.
“This is one of the toughest times of the year,” says Andrea Cefarelli, an executive director of NJBS’ parent agency New York Blood Center. “We’re asking for our dedicated supporters to roll up their sleeves to make sure we’re able to provide our hospital partners with whatever they need to take care of their patients.”
Any company, community organization, place of worship, or individual can host a blood drive by contacting the NY Blood Center or NJ Blood Services, which offer “special community service scholarships for students who organize community blood drives during summer months.”
“Hundreds of additional blood drives need to be scheduled to meet projected hospital demand,” says NJ Blood Services.
Among the advantages of blood donations are that the donors receive “free mini-medical exams on site including information about their temperature, blood pressure and hematocrit level.”
Eligible donors must be age 16 or older, who weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, are in good health and meet all state and federal regulations donor criteria. Those under age 18 must have parental permission or consent, while people over age 75 must have a doctor’s note.
If you cannot donate, NYBC encourages you to ask someone to donate for you, or consider volunteering at a local blood drive.
To schedule an appointment to donate blood, or for information on how to organize a blood drive, call 1-800-933-2566 or visit http://nybloodcenter.org/blood.