On Thursday June 6 from 1:45PM to 7:45PM, the New York Blood Center will be conducting a blood drive in our building.
Why are blood drives important? I am sure most of you are familiar with the usual reasons. Donated blood saves lives for people in need of surgery, people in need of treatment for blood disorders, people in need of blood to replace lost blood from severe accidents etc. In the United State this year approximately 10 million blood transfusion will be administered. All of that sounds reasonable, but abstract. Let me give you a more real example.
Not long ago my mother broke her hip and needed replacement surgery. All of that went well and she was quickly in rehab getting physical therapy. However, her general health as she recovered from major surgery, did not seem to be improving. A blood test discovered that she was severely anemic and she was ambulanced back into the hospital. While in the emergency room waiting for a hospital bed, she was quickly transfused with two pints of donated blood. This possibly saved her life or speeded her recovery. Without this transfusion she would have missed walking down the aisle a few weeks later at her granddaughter’s wedding. Fortunately, there was an ample supply of safe blood.
The New York Blood Center, a non-profit organization is one of the largest independent community-based blood centers in the United States. It was founded in 1964 by members of the Rockefeller family, after a family member became severely ill from a blood transfusion with tainted blood from a paid donor. In those days blood came mostly from paid donors. Research has shown that blood from paid donors is much less safe than blood collected from volunteer donors.
So, please consider donating blood at the Synagogue on June 6 (1:45PM to 7:45PM). Once you have been tested to ensure that you have an adequate supply of blood, the donation only takes about 10 minutes.
You can save a life as well help a grandmother walk down the aisle at her granddaughter’s wedding.
To make an appointment click here Donor Portal – New York Blood Center (nybc.org)
Bob Schwartz
