Cherry Hill Sun

Tag: blood donation

  • Township, students partner for blood drive

    Courtesy of Cherry Hill Mayor’s Office
    Volunteers had their blood taken for donation at the township’s recent blood drive.

    Cherry Hill partnered with the American Red Cross on Aug. 1 for a five-hour blood drive at the Carmen Tilelli Community Center.

    The drive was planned through the Red Cross Leaders Save Lives Program, an initiative that encourages high-school and college students to organize and lead blood drives during breaks from school. According to the Red Cross – the largest single provider of blood and blood products nationally – someone in the U.S. needs blood or platelets every two seconds, and 29,000 units of blood are needed to keep up with the daily demand.

    The Save Lives program also offers scholarships and educational opportunities to students who choose to participate in and plan drives, as well as training and toolkits to help them smoothly run drives. Two students from Cherry Hill East led the community center drive, meeting all of the goals they set out to achieve.

    Teens from both East and the Red Cross were the first to initiate the sponsorship, reaching out to the township to arrange the drive.

    The event also aligned with Mayor Dave Fleisher’s wellness campaign and the township offered the Tilelli center as the drive’s location.

    “Partnering with the American Red Cross and two of our Cherry Hill high-school students to host a blood drive at the community center is a powerful way to bring people together for the greater good,” Fleisher said. 

    One blood donation can go to multiple people and can help save multiple lives, including those with severe physical trauma or chronic diseases like cancer or sickle cell anemia, both of which can often require multiple transfusions.

    “It gives our residents the chance to make a real impact by donating blood and helping those in need,” Fleisher noted. 

    Certain types of blood and plasma are in the highest demand; type O negative blood and type AB plasma can be given to patients with any blood type. O negative blood is only present in 7% of the U.S. population, with AB plasma only present in 4%. 

    Brian Bauerle is the chief of staff and acting business administrator for the mayor’s office. 

    “It’s very consistent with the mayor’s wellness campaign that he’s been working on throughout the year,” Bauerle explained. “So it was a perfect opportunity for us to partner on this program. The event went great. We were happy to host it.” 

  • Red Cross donation center opens in Delran

    Kathy Chang/The Sun

    The American Red Cross cut the ribbon on its fourth donation center, located in Delran, on March 11, with state Sen. Troy Singleton, Assemblyman Roy Frieman, donors and Red Cross volunteers and employees on hand.

    Kathy Chang/The Sun

    The new Red Cross donation center is collecting blood and platelet donations for patients, such as those battling cancer, accident victims, transplant recipients and those with sickle cell disease.

    The statistics are jarring: Every two seconds, somebody in the U.S. needs blood.

    “Donated blood is perishable,” said Rosie Taravella, CEO of American Red Cross New Jersey Region. “Red blood cells have a shelf life of only 42 days and platelets only five days, so they must constantly be replenished.”

    Now interested donors have a new fixed site to donate. The American Red Cross cut the ribbon on its fourth donation center, located in Delran, on March 11, with state Sen. Troy Singleton, Assemblyman Roy Frieman, donors and Red Cross volunteers and employees on hand.

    The new site joins Pennsauken, Princeton and Fairfield donation centers in the state. It is collecting blood and platelet donations for patients, such as those battling cancer, accident victims, transplant recipients and those with sickle cell disease.

    “As a national network, the Red Cross has a unique responsibility to help ensure blood is available for patients whenever and wherever is needed,” Taravella explained. “Eligible donors can feel good knowing that donating through Red Cross, they may be helping patients not only in the community, but also their family and friends across the nation.

    “One in seven patients entering a hospital will need a blood transfusion …” she added. “That’s a lot. So every day, volunteer donors roll up their sleeves at Red Cross Blood drives to help save the lives of people with life-threatening injuries from complicated child births, cancer and sickle cell disease.”

    Taravella noted that March is Red Cross Month, an observance that began more than 80 years ago. She also stressed that the organization and its work is powered by “90% volunteers.”

    Feiman recalled that when he turned into the new Delran location, he thought he had the wrong directions.

    “I pulled into a shopping center,” he recounted of his thoughts. ” … This is not where blood centers are located. I thought it was wonderful … to set up a blood center right here where people come. How convenient it is, easy to park.

    “From our standpoint from the legislature, it is so nice to be able to see the budget resolution and what we fight for … to actually come about, because it takes time.”

    Feiman praised the site’s thoughtful ambience, from a welcoming intake area to televisions on the beds for long plasma donations. He likened it to being able to “eat cookies” after trips to Disney World.

    “This is a magical place … it’s the only place where you can actually eat cookies and not feel bad, in fact, you are encouraged to eat cookies,” he quipped.

    Singleton thanked all the volunteers for their time.

    “We have to remind everyone we can’t manufacture blood,” he pointed out. “The supply of blood is strictly from those of us willing to donate our blood, and because we can’t manufacture it, we realize how important it is and how it changes lives.”

    For Red Cross Month, the organization will perform free A1C testing (commonly used to screen for prediabetes and diabetes) on successful blood and platelet donations made through Monday, March 31. Those who give this month will get a $10 Amazon gift card by email. More details can be found at RedCrossBlood.org/March.  

    In addition to the Delran Blood Donation Center, individuals can continue to give blood at Red Cross blood drives across New Jersey. The organization will hold a free community day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Holy Cross Prep, 5035 U.S. 130. Visitors will learn about Red Cross services from disaster response, blood donations to life- skills training.

    The new donation center is located at 5029 U.S. 130, Suite 450, in Delran and will be open four days a week. Hours are:

    • Tuesday and Wednesday: 11:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    • Thursday: 10:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
    • Saturday: 7:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

  • Red Cross: Need for blood donors is constant

    The American Red Cross needs the help of state residents.

    The need for blood and platelet donations during January’s National Blood Donor Month and beyond is a constant, according to the organization.

    “Currently, the nation faces the lowest number of people giving blood in 20 years,” said Kim Goetz, executive director of the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey. “And when fewer people donate blood, even small disruptions to blood donations – like recent winter weather systems – can have a huge effect on the availability of blood products and dramatic consequences for those in need of emergency blood transfusion.”

    Winter can be a factor in people traveling to donate blood, and coupled with cold and flu season that keeps people at home, poses a challenge to blood donations. Central New Jersey is home to the Llura “Lulie” Gund state headquarters and Blood Donation Center in Princeton.

    “This newly renovated space offers donors the opportunity to give whole blood, Power Red donations and platelet donations – all under one roof,” Goetz explained. 

    Rachel M. Lippoff, executive director of American Red Cross of Southern New Jersey, said “the need for blood donation is constant” adding it is a simple and quick process.

    “It is easy to sign up to give blood and the entire process can be done in less than an hour,” she noted. “Simply go to redcrossblood.org to learn more about blood donation and enter your zip code to find a local blood drive or blood donation center near you.” 

    The majority of Red Cross first-time donors, according to Goetz, are high-school and college age.

    “Young people are so important to the blood supply,” she noted. “It’s also such an inspiring way to serve your community.”

    Recurring donors keep the blood supply healthy. According to Diane Concannon, communications director at American Red Cross New Jersey, donors can give blood every 56 days or up to six times a year.

    “Every time you donate, you have the potential to save someone’s life,” Goetz said. “What an incredible way to spend about an hour of your time.”

    As a way to entice state donors, Red Cross New Jersey partnered with the National Football League for a promotion. In recognition of National Blood Donor Month, individuals who donated blood through Jan. 26 were automatically entered for a chance to win a Super Bowl LIX giveaway. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl.

    Regional blood dontion locations in central and South Jersey include the following:

    American Red Cross Blood Donation Centers: 5425 Marlton Pike, Pennsauken, and 5029 Route 130, Suite 450, Delran

    American Red Cross Llura Gund Blood Donation Center: 707 Alexander Road, Suite 101, Princeton

    The American Red Cross, founded in 1881 by Clara Barton, collects about 40% of the nation’s blood supply. According to its website, the organization received its first congressional charter in 1900 and is “tasked by the federal government with providing services to members of the American armed forces and their families well as providing disaster relief in the United States and around the world.”