Galleria to host blood drive amid national shortage

In honor of National Blood Donation Month, The New York Blood Center (NYBC) is putting a call out to eligible donors to help increase the nation’s blood supply, which continues to suffer from a severe drop in donations. On January 11, NYBC issued a dire plea for eligible donors, noting that just in the last three weeks alone, it has seen a 25% drop in donations, resulting in 5,000 fewer donations overall. NYBC said it currently has just a one- to two-day supply of types O-, O+, and B-, as well as a critical shortage of platelets.

To help increase our local, and national, blood supply, the NYBC will be setting up at the Galleria Mall at Crystal Run on the lower level in front of JC Penney (1 Galleria Drive, Middletown) on Wednesday, January 31, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prospective donors are encouraged to make an appointment online at donate.nybc.org or by calling 1-800-933-2566. Walk-ins are also welcome.

Donors are also asked to eat and drink beforehand, and to bring a donor ID card or an ID with their name and photo.

“In the midst of the nationwide blood emergency, and in the wake of recent winter storms that have impacted our region, we are calling on eligible New Yorkers to make an immediate blood or platelet donation,” said NYBC Senior Vice President Andrea Cefarelli in the organization’s announcement. “After a year of rebounding donations, the recent severe drop in inventory is a stark reminder of the fragility of our nation’s blood supply. This National Blood Donor Month, blood donors are needed now more than ever to ensure hospital patients in our community get the lifesaving treatment they need.” 

To be eligible to donate, you must be between 16 and 75 years of age, and weigh at least 110 pounds. Donors aged 75 or over may donate with a note from their physician; 16-year-old donors require parental permission on a New York Blood Center form (available online and at the blood drive).