Community Corner
Donors Needed for NJ Auto Club Blood Drive
Summer heat negatively impacts blood supply; numerous types including O-negative are in high demand.
In response to an increased need for O-negative blood, the AAA New Jersey Automobile Club and New Jersey Blood Services, a division of the New York Blood Center, will host a blood drive at AAA’s Springfield office on Tuesday from noon to 4:30 p.m. AAA and NJBS are urging the community to roll up its sleeves, donate blood and ensure hospital demands continue to be met over the summer.
According to NYBC, patients depend on the transfusion of red blood cells, platelets and plasma to stay alive every day. But blood and blood products can’t be manufactured, the organization says—they can only come from volunteer blood donors who attend a blood drive or visit a donor center.
NJBS estimates that approximately 120,000 volunteers are needed annually to donate blood for the more than 4 million patients who require life-saving blood and/or platelet transfusions. Approximately 43,000 pints of blood are needed every day in the U.S., with someone needing blood every two seconds.
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For directions to AAA Springfield, call 973-467-2651. For information regarding medical eligibility or to make an appointment, call 800-933-2566 or log onto www.nybloodcenter.org.
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