Donate blood this summer

Giving blood is easy and relatively painless, and can help save someone’s life. There are many upcoming blood drives this summer where you can donate.

Herald File Photo

Upcoming blood drives

July 7 — 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Hunter College West Building, 695 Park Avenue, New York City

July 9 — 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sea of Galilee Church, 166 Eldridge Street, New York City

July 18 — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Urban Justice Center, 40 Rector Street, 9th floor, New York City

July 21 — 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Hunter College West Building, 695 Park Avenue, New York City

July 20 – 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nassau Community College, Multipurpose Room, College Center Building

July 23 — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Patchogue Church of Christ, 385 Sunrise Highway North Service Road, Patchogue

July 26 — 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Catholic Health Services of Long Island, 245 Old Country Road, Melville

July 28 — 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. South Nassau Communities Hospital, Oceanside

Aug. 27 — 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. St. Stephens Church, 858 Roosevelt Street, Franklin Square.

Aug. 30 — 5:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Centre

Oct. 27 — 5:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Centre

Summer is a good time to relax — it’s also a good time to give blood. There is a blood shortage, and local hospitals and blood banks need donations now.

“Summer is one of the most challenging times of the year for blood donations, because we go on vacation and plan other activities that fill up our schedules,” Red Cross spokeswoman Patty Corvaia wrote in an email. “Plus, 25 percent of our blood donations come from adults 18 to 24 years old. Most of them are students who donate blood when we hold blood drives at their campuses. With school out of session during the summer, it’s hard for us to reach these important donors, and many don’t donate during the summer.”

She added that on average, the Red Cross sees two fewer appointments per day, which adds up to 100,000 fewer units of available blood.

To donate blood, a person must be at least 17 — or 16 with a parental consent form — weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health. They also need a photo ID and a list of current medications. People 76 and older need a doctor’s note. All potential donors must go through a health screening beforehand for their temperature, pulse, blood pressure and iron levels. Donations can be done every 56 days.

If someone has traveled to a zika-infected country, they need to wait at least a month after they get back to donate.

Mercy Medical Center receives its blood from the New York Blood Center, which hosts blood drives all around Long Island. You can look up current blood drives at nybloodcenter.org/donate-blood/where-to-donate-today/.

Mercy keeps a supply of 100 units of blood on hand and receives a new shipment twice a week. Donated blood helps all sorts of patients — car accident victims, people with sickle cell anemia and hemophilia. Platelets are used for people going through chemotherapy. Every pint of blood can be separated into red cells, plasma and platelets — which can be used on three different patients.

Rockville Centre has a donor center at 290 Sunrise Highway. You can schedule a donation there (or somewhere else) by calling (800) 933-2566 or nybloodcenter.org/donate-blood/donor-center-locations/.