With blood centers throughout the city are in desperate need of donations, local state Senator Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) has partnered with the New York Blood Center in a personal effort to collect at least 50 pints of blood within his district.
Each summer, New York Blood Center reaches out for blood donors during a time of critical shortages. To help their effort, Addabbo is joining the NYBC’s Summer Blood Tour and WPLJ’s (95.5) Scott & Todd’s Blast Off Morning Show to hold a blood drive on Saturday, August 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The busmobile will be parked in front of Rite Aid, 65-35 Woodhaven Boulevard (65th Road), in Rego Park. Every donor will receive a free Scott & Todd Phone Scam CD.
If the blood drive collects at least 40 pints of blood, donors will win a chance to attend Scott & Todd’s WPLJ Friday Morning Blast Off show this fall. Be a part of the excitement of live radio along with other blood donors and the crew at WPLJ.
Donors are required to bring a valid ID with a picture or signature. The event is open to 16 to 76 year olds: 16-year-olds must have parental permission and 76-year-olds must have a doctor’s note. Donors are urged to eat well and drink fluids before donating, and they must not have had a tattoo in the past 12 months.
Some facts about donating blood:
· Just one pint of blood can help save the lives of several people.
· 1 person in 3 will need a life-saving blood transfusion in their lifetime.
· One pint of blood can be separated into several components (red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate).
· Platelets help blood to clot and give those with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live.
· Car accident victims who have suffered massive blood loss may require transfusions of 50 pints or more of red blood cells.
· Cancer, transplant, trauma, and open-heart surgery patients require platelet transfusions to survive.
· There is no substitute for human blood.
· Much of today’s medical care depends on a steady supply of blood from healthy donors.
· Every three seconds someone needs blood.
· Approximately 32,000 pints of blood are used each day in the U.S.
· Blood centers often run short of type O and B blood.
· Shortages of all types of blood often occur during the summer and winter holidays.
· If all blood donors gave at least twice a year, it would greatly strengthen the nation’s blood supply.
· Anyone who is in good health and is at least 16, weighs at least 110 pounds, may donate blood every 56 days.
· The actual blood collection takes approximately 10-20 minutes. The entire process, from when you sign in to the time you leave, takes only 45 minutes to one hour.
· You cannot get AIDS or any other blood disease by donating blood.
· A heart surgery uses an average of six pints of red blood cells and six pints of platelets.
· One out of every 10 people entering a hospital needs blood.
For questions regarding eligibility, please call New York Blood Center at 800-688-0900. For questions about participating in Senator Addabbo’s summer blood drive, call Peter DeLucia, director of special events, at 718-738-1111.
