Between noon and 5 p.m. on Thursday, the Red Cross reached its goal of collecting 37 blood units—enough to potentially help more than 111 patients.
WASHINGTON TWP.-- With summer break approaching, the need for blood donations is growing.
When schools let out each year, the American Red Cross loses its largest contributors-- high school and college students. To get ahead of the battle, the Washington Township Public Schools teamed with the Penn-Jersey region of the American Red Cross for an Annual Blood Drive on Thursday in the Eileen Abbot Central Administration Building in Sewell, New Jersey.
Between noon and 5 p.m., the Red Cross reached its goal of collecting 37 blood units--enough to potentially help more than 111 patients. In addition to whole blood, the Red Cross also collected double-red cell donations, using a special machine to separate and collect two units of red cells during one session for donors who met the proper requirements.
"The American Red Cross collects and processes approximately 40 percent of the nation's blood supply. While local hospital needs are met first, as a national blood system, the Red Cross has a unique ability to help ensure all hospital patients throughout the U.S. have the blood they need, when they need it," said Red Cross external communications manager, Beth Toll.
"Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood," Toll said. The Red Cross provides blood for a variety of procedures ranging from organ transplants and trauma surgeries to cancer or sickle cell disease, she said.
"The need for blood is constant," especially in the summer time said Gabrielle Johnson, team supervisor of the Red Cross. Students' absence from schools causes the supply "to be a little short in the summer, so we definitely need more people to come out during this time to give blood," Johnson said.
Donating blood "is important because it saves lives. Every pint could help three people and you never know when you might need blood. So it's very important for people to give blood whenever they can if they're able to," said Johnson.
Blood donor and Whitman Elementary teacher, Susan Andreas, found her 16-year-old son, Kevin, in desperate need of blood last May after doctors diagnosed him with a cancerous brain tumor.
While hospitalized, "Kevin received platelets seven times and I want to pay it forward because if it wasn't for the generosity of the strangers who had given blood, he would have been in bad shape," Andreas said. "So I do this for other people who need the same thing--other moms who are sitting there worried about their children, husbands, wives, grandparents."
"Right now there is an emergency need for platelets," said Donor Collection Assistant Patricia Henderson. "We need three whole blood units to make one platelet donation," which can be given in a single sitting during an appointment at a donor center, Henderson said. Platelets are often used for cancer patients undergoing surgery or chemotherapy. "We are always in need of blood," she said.
For Army veteran Joe Kelly giving blood "goes back a long ways."
Kelly's wife hemorrhaged during the birth of their first child, causing friends to donate blood. "Ever since then I've been giving blood-- for the past 50 years," he said.
It's become a kind of family tradition for him and his daughter, MaryBeth Kelly who also donated. "It's just something we've always done," she said. "It's easy to do, it's helpful and important."
The 78-year-old said "I don't do very much else any more so at least I can give blood. I think it's a good thing for people to do."
"Giving blood means giving life. It's a great thing and I wish more people would sign up and think about the community and think about others," said donor and Washington Township High School Teacher, Andi Stott.
Andreas asked for people who don't normally donate to "Just think twice because it can save someone's life," as it has helped save her son's.
Joe Shwartz said since his retirement, volunteering for the Red Cross has kept him busy. Since the age of 16, Shwartz has donated more than 18-gallons of blood. He said the Red Cross blood drives provide an essential service that requires the help of the community. Shwartz said, "We need blood and the Red Cross needs ya."
For more information about donating blood or to locate a donor center near you, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).