Donors Needed to Offset 'Negative' Impact on Blood Supply

Rh negative Blood Types Are in Constant Demand

NEW YORK, May 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to an increased need for Rh negative blood, New York Blood Center (NYBC) is urging its communities to roll up their sleeves, donate blood, and ensure hospital demands continue to be met.

Matt Long, the NYC firefighter currently appearing in a television campaign for New York-Presbyterian, one of NYBC's top hospital partners, exemplifies the spirit of giving.  "As a 16-year veteran of the FDNY, I know how important it is to try to save lives," Matt said.  "I'm a firefighter, a blood donor, and a blood recipient.  Several years ago I was severely injured in an accident, and needed 68 units of donated blood just to stay alive.  Give the gift of life, give blood … you might get it back some day."

Each and every day there are patients who depend on the transfusion of red blood cells, platelets and plasma to stay alive. Unfortunately, blood and blood products can't be manufactured. They can only come from volunteer blood donors who take an hour to attend a blood drive or visit a donor center.

"No one tells our story better than Matt," said NYBC Vice President Rob Purvis.  "Over the past several weeks, our hospital demand for Rh negative blood products has gone up, and we need to ask for help. There's no question of our ability to satisfy the demand, but that only happens because donors come forward when we hit a rough patch.  This time of year is a rough patch."

Here's the Top Ten Facts About NYC's Spring and Summer Blood Supply:

1. People with O-negative blood are known as "universal donors" because their blood can be transfused to anyone.
2. Type O-negative blood is found in just six percent of the population, and is often transfused to patients with other blood types in emergency rooms and trauma situations.  
3. People with Rh negative blood, including A-, B- and O-, comprise just 15% of the population.
4. People of all blood types and ethnicities are encouraged to donate, and are critical to maintaining the diversity of Greater New York's blood supply.
5. The months of June, July and August continue to present challenges as schools and colleges close for the summer and employees leave for summer vacations. More than 25% of blood donations collected each year come from our high school and college blood drives.
6. Every two seconds, someone needs blood.  
7. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), trauma accounts for 37 million emergency department visits and 2.6 million hospital admissions each year, nationwide.
8. Car accident and trauma victims may need 50 or more blood transfusions.  
9. Police officers can be injured in the line of duty.  First responders also face great danger during emergencies.
10. People can donate one pint of whole blood every 56 days and platelets every three days.

To donate blood or for information on how to organize a blood drive,

Please call Toll Free:  1-800-933-2566 / Visit:  www.nybloodcenter.org

Any company, community organization, place of worship, or individual may host a blood drive.  NYBC also offers special community service scholarships for students who organize community blood drives during summer and winter months.  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 permission or consent), 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.

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 hospitals since 1964, serving more than 20 million people in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, New Jersey, and parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania.  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 along with consultative services in transfusion medicine. Please visit us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/newyorkbloodcenter.  Follow us on Twitter @NYBloodCenter at www.twitter.com/nybloodcenter.

Contact:  Keith Hudson
[email protected]
(718) 797-7810  Office
(646) 373-8605 Mobile

SOURCE New York Blood Center