Local blood drives planned to meet shortage

VERNON — New Jersey Blood Services is holding blood drives according to the following schedule: November 19 — 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at Highland Lakes Country Club, 2240 Lakeside Drive West, Highland Lakes November 26 — 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at Blessed Kateri Church, 427 Stanhope Road, Sparta November 30 — 3:30-9:30 p.m. at Rolling Hills Primary School, 60 Sammis Road, Vernon New Jersey Blood Services, a division of the New York Blood Center, says there is an immediate need for O-negative and A-negative types. The blood center has a goal of keeping a 5-7 day supply of these types. But healthy people of all blood types and ethnicities are also encouraged to donate. The need for blood is constant. Hospitals need blood to do surgeries, for emergencies, and to care for cancer patients. About one in seven people entering a hospital needs blood. People with Rh-negative blood, including A-, B- and O-, comprise just 15 percent of the population, yet their blood can be safely transfused to the remaining 85 percent. People with O-negative blood are known as “universal donors” because their blood can be transfused into anyone. Type O-negative blood is found in just 6 percent of the population, but is used more often by patients with other blood types, especially in emergency rooms and trauma situations. Any school, company, community organization, place of worship, or individual may host a blood drive. To date, about 600 elementary and middle schools have sponsored Little Doctors Program blood drives, and scholarships are available for high school and college students who initiate and coordinate successful community blood drives. For more information or to donate blood, call 1-800-933-2566 or visit www.nybloodcenter.org.