Blood Supply Slipping As Economy Tumbles
NEW YORK, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — New York Blood Center (NYBC), serving New York City, Long Island, Hudson Valley and New Jersey, is reporting slipping blood reserves due to increased September demand from hospitals and current economic strife.
“Businesses are among our most dedicated supporters,” said NYBC President and CEO Dr. Robert Jones. “Some of their scheduled corporate drives have understandably been cut back or canceled, and at the same time, demand has been going up.” For the latest full month (September 2008), NYBC supplied 3,000 more units of blood to its 200 hospitals in Greater New York than September 2007.
“Many people think our economic world is out of control right now,” said Dr. Jones. “Donating blood, and organizing blood drives for others to donate, are things we CAN control. We can make a positive effect on the lives of others, and literally save lives, no matter what happens on Wall Street or Main Street.”
Each day, NYBC and its regional affiliates must collect 2,000 units of lifesaving blood to treat patients in hospitals across New York and New Jersey. With the current shortfall, NYBC is concerned about its ability to meet predictable patient needs, plus emergencies (including car accidents, complications during childbirth, and emergency surgery).
All donors receive free mini-medical exams on site and 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.
To contact NYBC: Toll Free: 1-800-933-2566 Website: http://www.nybloodcenter.org/ 3-1-1 Within New York City; 212 – NEW – YORK in New York State
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.
Contact: Leslie Gonzalez Lgonzalez2@nybloodcenter.org (212) 570-3304 Office 646-342-3038 Mobile
New York Blood Center
CONTACT: Leslie Gonzalez of New York Blood Center, +1-212-570-3304(office), +1-646-342-3038 (mobile), Lgonzalez2@nybloodcenter.org
Web Site: http://www.nybloodcenter.org/