TOMS RIVER – While pandemic conditions have improved, the impact of the coronavirus health crisis is still being felt due to low blood supplies.
That being the case, Marie Forrestal who serves as the director of Donor Recruitment & Retention for New Jersey Blood Services announced that her agency would be hosting blood drives in the area which are open to the public.
One upcoming blood drive is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 21, at Christ Episcopal Church, 415 Washington Street, Toms River. For further information on this blood drive and others in the area, call 732-616-0798 or e-mail mforrestal@nybloodcenter.org
Blood products have a short shelf life – from five to 42 days, so a constant resupply is needed. Each day there are patients who depend on the transfusion of red blood cells, platelets and plasma to stay alive.
As blood and blood products can’t be manufactured. They can only come from volunteer blood donors who take around an hour to attend a blood drive or visit a donor center.
Any company, community organization, place of worship, or individual can host a blood drive. The New York Blood Center offers special community service scholarships for students who organize community blood drives during summer months.
Blood donors receive free mini-medical exams on site including information about their temperature, blood pressure and hematocrit 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.
To donate blood or for information on how to organize a blood drive call Toll Free: 1-800-933-2566 or visit nybloodcenter.org
