By Briana SmithSTAFF WRITER
The historic blizzard that barreled through the East Coast last month left behind multiple feet of snow, icy and damaged roads and irritated civilians. But it also caused another catastrophe: a shortage of blood donations.
The New York Blood Center (NYBC), one of the most dominant and comprehensive blood centers in the world that provides lifesaving blood products and services to nearly 200 hospitals in New York, New Jersey, Long Island and parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, lost 3,000 scheduled donations because of Winter Storm Juno.
Jim Fox, the director of Corporate Communications at NYBC, gave an example to show the severe scarcity of blood. He said the supply of O-Negative blood could be transfused into anyone in a trauma situation when there’s no time for blood typing. According to The Blood Connection, a non-profit community blood center in South Carolina, O-Negative blood is a unique blood type inside only 6.6 percent of the population. Ordinarily, blood banks like to keep a five-day inventory on hand, but right now it’s around a two-day supply.
This past winter won’t be the only time the fear of blood deficiencies will occur. “Shortages happen around the times when people go away,” said Fox. “Summer is another especially tough time since students go on vacation, and about a fourth of the blood supply is collected at universities like Hofstra.”
In order to increase NYBC’s stock, Hofstra University’s Human Resources Office coordinated a blood drive. Hofstra faculty, staff, students and community members are urged to donate blood on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. in the Multipurpose Rooms in the Student Center.
“It is great that we can count on the Hofstra community to work together to address the area blood shortage,” said Elizabeth Lorentzen, Hofstra University’s human resources’ training and development coordinator. “It is wonderful to see the whole University come together to help out our community and fellow New Yorkers in this time of need.”
“We hope to bring in 250 donations on Wednesday,” said Fox. “Some Hofstra drives are even larger and accommodate more donors.”
The donations will benefit the 2,000 men, women, children, cancer and surgery patients, and more who need blood transfusions each day.
“Hospital patients always need blood for everything from trauma recovery to the chemotherapy connected with cancer treatment,” said Fox. “This is an especially tough time of year because of the weather – whenever there’s a storm or it gets really cold, people focus on just getting through the latest challenge and may forget that hospital patients never get a snow day.”
Many students are eager to participate in the blood drive.
“Yes, I am going to donate blood,” said Alisha Lautsch, a junior pre-health disability studies major. “If you could donate blood, why not donate it knowing it’s going to help someone in need.”
“I’m excited to donate and give back to the community,” said Alexander Pineda, a senior journalism major. “Taking a half-hour out my day to give blood and help save someone’s life is more than worthwhile. Everyone should do it.”
The donations that students give on Wednesday could help save hundreds of lives, and the NYBC is grateful for it.
“People who donate blood are saving lives,” said Fox. “Simple as that.”
