New York Blood Center (NYBC) is calling on New Yorkers to donate blood amid a catastrophic hurricane hitting the coast of Florida.
Donations are needed locally and in anticipation of humanitarian efforts that will be necessary to support our southern neighbors. These donations are essential to maintaining a stable supply of blood and platelets in impacted regions, which can help save lives and ensure patient needs continue to be met throughout this difficult time.
On Tuesday, Hurricane Ian made landfall along the southwestern coast of Florida as a powerful Category 4 storm. Experts say it is one of the strongest hurricanes to make landfall on the west coast of Florida.
NYBC has already sent blood to the region and needs more donations in order to be ready in case asked to provide further support to those in areas affected by the storm. Blood is perishable and according to AABB, blood collection organizations nationwide on average had only 1-2 days’ blood supply heading into the storm. Anticipated disruptions in blood collections and transportation challenges in Florida and the Southeast throughout the next several days are likely to exacerbate already low inventories, particularly in the affected areas.
“New Yorkers always step up for each other and now we must help Florida and the Southeast, a region that desperately needs our support,” said Andrea Cefarelli, Senior Vice President at New York Blood Center. “Now is a critical time to help those in need by making a blood donation, it’s easy and only takes one hour. This is a dire situation and every donation counts.”
To make an appointment at a nearby blood drive, donors can call 1-800-933-2566 or visit nybc.org. Can’t donate blood? You can still support NYBC’s mission by texting ‘NYBC’ to ‘20222’ to give $25.
New York Blood Center
Founded in 1964, New York Blood Center (NYBC) is a nonprofit organization that is one of the largest independent, community-based blood centers in the world.
NYBC, along with its operating divisions Community Blood Center of Kansas City, Missouri (CBC), Innovative Blood Resources (IBR), Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD), and Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC), collect approximately 4,000 units of blood products each day and serve local communities of more than 75 million people in the Tri-State area (NY, NJ, CT), Mid Atlantic area (PA, DE, MD, VA), Missouri and Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Southern New England.
NYBC and its operating divisions also provide a wide array of transfusion-related medical services to over 500 hospitals nationally, including Comprehensive Cell Solutions, the National Center for Blood Group Genomics, the National Cord Blood Program, and the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, which — among other milestones — developed a practical screening method for hepatitis B as well as a safe, effective and affordable vaccine, and a patented solvent detergent plasma process.
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