The New York Blood Center is preparing for a possible shortage in its blood supply this summer and is turning to NYU for help. The center will host the last university blood drive of the semester with the NYU Langone Medical Center today and tomorrow at Coles Sports Center.
According to Dr. Timothy Hilbert, medical director of the blood bank at Langone, the drive is not addressing a current shortage but preparing for one, since donated blood must be used in 48 days.
"Blood does tend to be in short supply during the summer months and around the holidays," he said. "The summer vacation schedules of adults and especially college students on summer break from school play a major role in blood shortages due to the lack of blood donation."
Small cell fragments called platelets are also in high demand at this time of year.
"Platelets have a short shelf life, five days, so shortages of that product tend to arise quickly during cold and flu season when donors cancel appointments, during summer and winter breaks and even after long holiday weekends," Hilbert said.
Twenty-five percent of NYBC's donations come from educational institutions, including universities. The center hopes to collect around 90 to 100 pints of blood in two days.
"In order to reach that number, at least 125 people will need to register to donate, because some people will be deferred for various reasons including low hemoglobin levels, travel and medication deferrals," NYBC account manager Leandra Elberger said.
According to Elberger, 113 people have already registered for the drive.
This school year, NYU students have so far donated a total of 1,317 pints of blood — a 37 percent increase from the 964 pints donated last year.
In February, two NYU LGBT groups — Queer Union and No Boundaries — staged a mock blood drive along with NYCB to protest the FDA ban on blood donations from the community.
Students can make donations from 1 to 6:45 p.m. tomorrow and from 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Thursday. Walk-ins are also allowed.
