A community blood drive will be held on Sunday, Sept. 27. The New York Blood Center will be administering the blood drive at the St. Peter of Alcantara cafeteria at 1321 Port Washington Blvd. between 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The drive is being organized by Shannon Straggi, a junior at Sacred Heart Academy.
During the summer and early fall, the Long Island blood supply becomes critically low. Each pint of blood can save as many as three lives. When a donor gives blood, it’s a gift that lasts a lifetime.
This blood donation will include a mini-medical examination and will take up to an hour per donor. Each donor must be between the ages of 16 and 75, (16-year olds must have parental consent–the consent form is available at www.nybloodcenter.org), weigh at least 110 pounds and feel well the day of the drive. Donors can’t have a tattoo applied in the past 12 months unless it was applied in New Jersey. Donors must bring valid photo or signature ID and know their social security number. Donors should drink plenty of fluids and eat a good meal before donating.
In addition, New York Blood Center will have “ALYX,” an automated red blood cell donation system, which allows the donation of two units of red cells in just one visit. Red cells are critically needed by surgery and trauma patients, cancer and chemotherapy patients, accident and burn victims and at-risk infants.
For more information or to make an appointment, please call Shannon or Kate Straggi at 516-365-0151, or email at stragg@verizon.net. Join in and give the gift of life. Those who receive that gift will be forever grateful.
