American Red Cross Issues Blood Su...( National Blood Supply Extremely...),Health

National Blood Supply Extremely Low, Local Blood Supply at Risk

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross Penn-Jersey Region is issuing a blood supply alert for New Jersey and five counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. All blood types are needed; however there is a critical need for Type O and Type B blood. Brigid O'Neill-LaGier, Chief Executive Officer of the Penn-Jersey Region, is appealing to people in the community to donate blood. "The blood supply is a community resource; a resource that solely relies on volunteer donors in communities across the country. Locally, we are at risk of not being able to provide enough blood of certain types needed to support patient care."

People are urged to call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or to visit http://www.pleasegiveblood.org to schedule a blood donation appointment as soon as possible. You do not need to know your blood type to donate blood, but if you do and are among those blood types urgently needed, please make an appointment today. There are community blood drives and donor centers located throughout New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania seven days a week.

The American Red Cross supplies almost half of the nation's blood supply to hospitals through 35 blood service regions across the country. Although the Red Cross system is able to ship blood when and where it is needed, volunteer blood donors of all blood types are needed everyday to replenish and sustain the blood supply both nationally and locally. "When one region or area of the country experiences a blood shortage, it puts a strain on the entire blood collection system, which could ultimately affect patient care," says O'Neill- LaGier. "Locally, we import one-third of our blood supply from other Red Cross regions," O'Neill-LaGier adds.

Population density, along with patient care within these regions, is vastly diverse, making bloo
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