Red Cross Receives Donation from Constellation Energy on Behalf of Employee Platelet Donor

WEST HENRIETTA, NY (06/11/2008)(readMedia)-- The American Red Cross Blood Services, New York –Penn Region recently received a donation from Constellation Energy in honor of its employee, Richard Batz, a long time Red Cross platelet (apheresis) donor. Batz received the Spotlight Volunteer for Community Services from the company on June 2. Constellation Energy made the donation to the Red Cross on Batz’s behalf.

Batz, who is an electrician and planning supervisor at the company, has been an apheresis donor for the past eight years. He began as a whole blood donor in 1972 during a stint in the military. Since that time, Batz has donated either blood or blood products more than 130 times.

Patients suffering from cancer, leukemia, aplastic anemia, or trauma or who are in need of transplant or bypass surgery benefit most from either platelet or plasma transfusions. This special type of donation is referred to as apheresis and it allows a donor to give only one part of his or her blood: platelets, plasma, granulocytes (white blood cells that have granules in the cytoplasm), or red blood cells. The needed component is retained, and the rest is returned back to the donor.

“We are grateful to Constellation Energy for its donation in honor of Mr. Batz,” said Kay Schwartz, chief executive officer, New York Penn Region. “As a blood sponsor, Constellation Energy understands the importance of employee support in helping to sustain the Red Cross mission of getting blood to patients whenever it’s needed and when it is needed. Mr. Batz is a wonderful example of this type of support.”

All current and new donors are urged to schedule and keep an appointment to donate platelets by calling 1-800-545-4086, or by e-mail at apheresisdonor@usa.redcross.org, or by visiting donatebloodnow.org/apheresis. Anyone 17 years or older, weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health may be eligible to donate.

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