Help Save a Life: Donate Blood or Platelets at SBUH Blood Bank
Blood Donations to Stony Brook University Hospital Go Directly to Patients
STONY BROOK, N.Y., February 6, 2012 – Blood and platelet donations improve and save the lives of thousands of people in the United States each day. The Blood Bank at Stony Brook University Hospital is in need of blood and platelet donors. Each donation remains within the hospital and is given directly to stop or prevent bleeding. It is needed by patients who suffer from cancer, trauma, burns, or are undergoing delivery or major surgery.
The Blood Bank at Stony Brook University Hospital is appealing to the community specifically for platelet donations, a two-hour process that can go a long way to help such patients. A single platelet donation may help as many as three different patients, and often prevents life-threatening bleeding.
Almost anyone between ages 17 to 75 years can donate platelets or whole blood if the donor prefers. Including pre- and post-donation processing the total donation time lasts about two hours of which one and one-half hours, is the actual donating time. Because most of the donor’s red blood cells are returned back in the process, one can donate platelets up to 24 times a year.
All blood and platelets used locally and nationally are from volunteer donors. During emergencies such as excessive bleeding during birth, surgery, or following trauma these blood components save lives. The need for them escalates during multiple emergencies large numbers of platelet or whole blood donations are urgently needed. We hope you will consider becoming a regular blood or platelet donor at University Hospital.
Appointment schedules at the hospital’s Blood Bank are flexible. To make an appointment, please call 631-444-DONATE (444-3662), or Jennifer Peace at 631-444-7586, or e-mail jennifer.peace@sbumed.org.
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© Stony Brook University 2011
