Blood Donors Urged to Make and Keep Appointments

WEST HENRIETTA, NY (06/18/2008)(readMedia)-- The American Red Cross Blood Services, New York-Penn Region is reminding blood donors to make and keep appointments to give blood and boost regional blood inventories, as the number of donors keeping appointments continues to decline. Since the start of the month, the Region is approximately 1,000 blood units short of what it planned to collect. This translates into a loss of an approximate one-day supply of blood. Each day, the Region needs to collect on average 1,200 units of blood to maintain a sufficient blood supply. Moreover, the Red Cross reports blood type O-Negative is on medical approval. Medical approval requires that a Red Cross physician review and approve each request from a hospital for units of the specific blood type to ensure that supplies remain adequate for the most urgent needs.

Blood donations take a dramatic decline in the summer months - as much as 10-15 percent. The Red Cross attributes this decline to the temporary loss of school blood drives coupled with summer vacation schedules, which can create a tenuous blood supply. "Summer is the time of year when we call upon those who have not yet donated or businesses which have not yet sponsored a blood drive to come forward and help stabilize the community blood supply," said Kay Schwartz, CEO, New York-Penn Region.

As a special token of thanks, all presenting donors who help boost this month's blood supply will receive a Red Cross T-shirt from June 21-July 12. In addition, all presenting donors will be eligible to win one of four $250.00 gas cards. The drawing for the gas cards will be held throughout the Region on Monday, July 7. To register, presenting donors must visit www.pointsforpints.org.

Donors of all blood types are urgently needed. New and current eligible donors are strongly urged to schedule and keep appointments to donate blood today by calling 1-800-GIVE LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or visiting www.DonateBloodNow.org. Anyone 17 years or older, weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health may be eligible to donate blood. Sixteen-year-olds may donate blood provided they bring an original Signed Informed Parental Consent for a 16-Year-Old to Donate Whole Blood to the blood drive. The consent form can be found at www.DonateBloodNow.org/16. Identification is required at the time of donation to give blood.

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