Urgent Need For Blood Donations Now: Red Cross

SCARSDALE, NY — The American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood donors to give now to ensure blood is available for medical treatments and emergencies during the holiday season. Blood donations often decline during the holidays. Regular donors are busy with holiday activities, and travel and severe winter weather may cause blood drive cancellations.

Yet donations remain critical for patients like 4-year-old Wyatt Monacelli who is in the midst of intense chemotherapy treatments for leukemia. He has received a number of transfusions since his diagnosis in June and will likely need more.

“We are fortunate to have had so many donors give the gift of life to our child so far throughout the course of his treatment, and even more so, we are lucky to have had a supply of blood available for him when he needed it,” said Julianna Monacelli, Wyatt’s mother.

Donors are urged to give now to ensure that families like Wyatt’s don’t have to worry about the availability of blood this winter. In thanks for helping meet the urgent need around the holidays, all those who come to donate blood or platelets now through Dec. 19, 2018, will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. (Restrictions apply; see amazon.com/gc-legal. More information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.)

Make an appointment to donate blood or platelets by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (733-2767).

Another way to help keep the blood supply strong is to host a Red Cross blood drive this winter. To learn more about hosting a blood drive and to sign up, visit RedCrossBlood.org/HostADrive.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities Nov. 26-Dec. 19

Orange

Middletown

12/5/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Orange Regional Medical Center, 707 East Main Street

12/8/2018: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Ebenezer Pentecostal Church-Fellowship Hall, 50 East Main Street

Newburgh

12/14/2018: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Town of Newburgh, 1496 Route 300

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Putnam

Mahopac

12/11/2018: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department, 741 Route 6

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Rockland

Nyack

12/1/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Jackson Hose Co. 3, 45 Catherine St.

12/6/2018: 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., Rockland County YMCA, 35 South Broadway

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Sullivan

Harris

12/12/2018: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Catskill Regional Medical Center, Bushville Rd

Liberty

12/11/2018: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Liberty Fire Department, 256 Sprague Avenue

Monticello

12/18/2018: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Monticello High School, 39 Breakey Avenue

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Westchester

Mount Kisco

12/15/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Pine Crest Manor, 7100 Amuso Drive

New Rochelle

11/29/2018: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Iona College, 715 North Avenue

12/6/2018: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Weekday Nursery School, 1200 North Ave.

Ossining

12/18/2018: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Ossining High School, 29 South Highland Ave

Pleasantville

11/28/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Pace University Kessel Campus Center, 861 Bedford Road

Port Chester

12/4/2018: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Port Chester - Rye Brook Public Library, 1 Haseco Ave

Scarsdale

12/6/2018: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., American Legion Hall, 40 Bell Road

Yonkers

12/7/2018: 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., City of Yonkers Office of the Mayor, 40 South Broadway

Yorktown Heights

11/30/2018: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., VFW Post 8328, 257 Veterans Road

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How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

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