Residents urged to donate blood in summer

With the summer of 2006 upon us and the likelihood of a blood shortage in New Jersey, it can be a frustrating time for patients needing blood transfusions. A few summers ago when New Jersey resident Hank Klehm was 14 years old and battling leukemia, the last thing he and his mom needed was to be stuck for hours in a hospital waiting for units of blood to arrive for his transfusion. Unfortunately, during summer months there is every chance that such a shortage of blood could consume available hospital supplies and blood bank inventories. As a result, doctors and patients like Hank could be spending precious time waiting for special deliveries of urgently needed blood products.

In a pro-active effort, New Jersey Blood Services (NJBS) is launching a campaign to remind blood donors to make appointments to donate blood during the upcoming summer months. By sounding the alarm to rally blood donors during summertime, we look to remind blood donors of the continuing need our state hospitals have to maintain an adequate blood supply during this critical period. We encourage all eligible residents to donate blood during these summer months, so surgery patients, accident victims and children fighting cancer, like Hank, can get needed transfusions in a timely manner.

Hank is doing well today, thanks to over 100 blood transfusions, and he recently noted that he now has many more blood relatives and that their gift will last a lifetime.

If you want to donate blood, please call (800) 933-2566 or go to www.nybloodcenter.org.

John Armitage, M.D.

executive director

New Jersey Blood

Services

New Brunswick