Donate blood, save a life

Two seconds. That’s about how often a person in the United States needs a blood transfusion. But what if there wasn’t any blood left? This is the problem faced by the American Red Cross and the New York Blood Center as they try to keep people alive each day.

Blood shortages on Long Island have become a tremendous issue for local authorities as they try to meet the growing need at hospitals. As reported by the New York Blood Center, one in four people will need at least one blood transfusion in their lifetime, yet only five percent of people donate blood in New York a year.

“It’s become increasingly distressing to the point where some hospitals only carry a days worth of blood,” say New York Blood Center employee Patrick Smith.

Blood donations can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and involve taking a pint of blood from the donor. Donations are especially welcomed from people with rare blood types, since they can get and receive from like donors.

Christopher Ambrosio of Lynbrook, who was recently featured in the Herald, is alive today due to those that donated the O positive blood he needed as an infant. Born with the blood disorder hemophilia, a disease that prevents the blood from clotting properly, Ambrosio received multiple transfusions after his birth before he was fully diagnosed and treated for his condition. Since then he has gone on living his life with minimal treatment and now attends 2nd grade at West End elementary School.

Chris Mansfield of Lynbrook knows firsthand the beneficial effects of donating blood, and how it can save someone’s life. Years ago, when Mansfield was in college at Fordham University, a roommate’s niece was born prematurely at only two pounds and needed blood from an O negative donor. He and several friends went to the local hospital to donate, and were instrumental in saving the infant’s life. That girl is graduating high school this year.

These are just some of the countless stories of how each pint of blood a person donates can save someone’s life.