Blood drive planned in Vernon

VERNON — There will be a blood drive at Glen Meadow Middle school on Thurday, Sept. 15, from 3-9 p.m.
New Jersey Blood Services, a division of New York Blood Center is asking for help to maintain an adequate supply of all blood types, but especially O-negative – the “universal” blood which can be transfused into anyone in an emergency. In addition, hundreds of additional blood drives need to be scheduled to meet projected hospital demand. Current inventory of several blood types is running below the desired target level.
“It’s simple: hospital patient demand for blood often outpaces our best efforts to recruit donors and schedule blood drives,” said NYBC Executive Director of Donor Recruitment Andrea Cefarelli. “There are always reasons but we have to overcome that for the sake of hospital patients who need us.”
Blood products have a short shelf life – from five to 42 days, so constant replenishment is necessary. Each and every day there are patients who depend on the transfusion of red blood cells, platelets and plasma to stay alive. But blood and blood products can’t be manufactured. They can only come from volunteer blood donors who take an hour to attend a blood drive or visit a donor center.