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Why Blood and Bone Marrow Donors Are So Important

Posted on: Wednesday, 11 March 2009, 18:00 CDT

NEW YORK, March 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The popular television show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" will feature the story of Lizzie Bell, a 14-year old Tucson girl diagnosed with a rare blood disorder who recently visited New York to encourage blood and bone marrow donation. The program is scheduled to air on the ABC television network March 22, 2009.

New York Blood Center (NYBC), whose divisions include Long Island Blood Services, New Jersey Blood Services, Hudson Valley Blood Services and Brooklyn-Staten Island Blood Services, recently held a successful blood drive in Lizzie's honor. About 80 blood donors registered for the drive. A total of 57 pints of whole blood and 18 units of red blood cells were collected, an amount capable of saving as many as 171 lives. Thirty people registered as a potential bone marrow match for Lizzie by taking a simple cheek swab.

Lizzie Bell's story is so compelling that the television show decided to rebuild her Tucson, Arizona home and sent her family to New York during the makeover. The blood and bone marrow drive by NYBC's Long Island Blood Services and the National Marrow Donor Program was one of several sponsored drives held in Lizzie's honor throughout the country.

While on Long Island, Lizzie Bell and her family met the family of Katie Trebing of Nesconset, NY, a former PreciseMatch(R) patient of New York Blood Center. PreciseMatch(R) helps to locate rare blood matches for frequently transfused patients.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090311/DC82541)

PHOTOS - SUGGESTED CAPTIONS (Photo Credit: Howard Schnapp -- New York Blood Center)

Lizzie Bell Photo Included

(Also Available Upon Request) Katie Trebing and Mom Photo: Stacey and Katie Trebing of Nesconset, NY visit a special blood drive held for Lizzie Bell, who like Katie was diagnosed with the rare blood disorder Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA). The blood drive was covered by "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" and scheduled to air on March 22.

How to Organize a Blood Drive

Any company, community organization, place of worship, or individual may host a blood drive. Blood donors receive free mini-medical exams on site including information about their temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure and hemoglobin level. Eligible donors include those people at least age 16 with parental consent (in NY) or 17 (in NJ), who weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, are in good health and meet all Food & Drug Administration and NY or NJ State Department of Health donor criteria. People over 75 may donate with a doctor's note.

To donate blood, please call: 1-800-933-2566

Visit: www.nybloodcenter.org

About New York Blood Center:

New York Blood Center (NYBC) is one of the nation's largest non-profit, community-based blood centers. NYBC has been providing blood, transfusion products and services to patients in greater New York since 1964. NYBC is also home to the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute and the National Cord Blood Program at the Howard P. Milstein National Cord Blood Center, the world's largest public cord blood bank. NYBC provides medical services and programs (Clinical, Transfusion, and Hemophilia Services) through our medical professionals and transfusion medicine physicians.

About ABC-TV's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," which has won back-to-back Emmy Awards as Best Reality Program (non-competitive), is entering its 6th season on ABC. The program is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. Anthony Dominici is the executive producer; and David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA.

SOURCE New York Blood Center

Source: PR Newswire

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