Queens, NY, August 5, 2011 – Each summer, New York Blood Center reaches out for blood donors during a time of critical shortages. To help their effort, NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., is joining the NYBC’s Summer Blood Tour and WPLJ’s (95.5) Scott & Todd’s Blast Off Morning Show, to hold a local blood drive on Saturday, August 20 from 9 AM – 3 PM. Look for the busmobile parked in front of Rite Aid, 65-35 Woodhaven Boulevard (65th Road), Rego Park. Every donor will get a free Scott & Todd Phone Scam CD. If Addabbo’s blood drive collects at least 40 pints of blood, donors will win a chance to attend Scott & Todd’s WPLJ Friday Morning Blast Off show this fall. Be a part of the excitement of live radio along with other blood donors and the crew at WPLJ. Invite your family, friends, co-workers, church, temple or mosque members and neighbors: the Senator’s district-wide goal is to collect 50 pints.
Donors are required to bring a valid ID with a picture or signature; must be between ages *16-76th birthday and weigh 110 pounds; (*16 year-olds need parental permission on a special NYBC form; ages over 76 must have a doctor’s note); eat well and drink fluids before donating; no tattoos for the past 12 months.
If you’ve never donated blood, or if you need some motivation to spend about an hour on a summer Saturday giving blood, consider:
· Just one pint of blood can help save the lives of several people.
· 1 person in 3 will need a life-saving blood transfusion in their lifetime.
· One pint of blood can be separated into several components (red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate).
· Platelets help blood to clot and give those with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live.
· Car accident victims who have suffered massive blood loss may require transfusions of 50 pints or more of red blood cells.
· Cancer, transplant, trauma, and open-heart surgery patients require platelet transfusions to survive.
· There is no substitute for human blood.
· Much of today’s medical care depends on a steady supply of blood from healthy donors.
· Every three seconds someone needs blood.
· Approximately 32,000 pints of blood are used each day in the U.S.
· Blood centers often run short of type O and B blood.
· Shortages of all types of blood often occur during the summer and winter holidays.
· If all blood donors gave at least twice a year, it would greatly strengthen the nation’s
blood supply.
· Anyone who is in good health and is at least 16, weighs at least 110 pounds, may donate blood every 56 days.
· The actual blood collection takes approximately 10-20 minutes. The entire process, from when you sign in to the time you leaves, takes only 45 minutes to one hour.
· You cannot get AIDS or any other blood disease by donating blood.
· A heart surgery uses an average of six pints of red blood cells and six pints of platelets.
· One out of every 10 people entering a hospital needs blood.
For questions regarding eligibility, please call New York Blood Center at 1-800-688-0900. For questions about participating in Senator Addabbo’s summer blood drive, call Peter DeLucia, Director of Special Events in the Howard Beach District Office, at 1-718-738-1111. Please help Senator Addabbo reach his own district-wide goal of collecting 50 pints and save lives this summer.
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