Donate Blood, Save a Life at Blood Drive in West Orange

Blood donations help millions of Americans each year, including those suffering as a result of car accidents or trauma victims.

The West Orange First Aid Squad is hosting a blood drive on Sunday, May 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 25 Mt. Pleasant Ave. Walk-ins are welcome to donate, but call 1-800-933-BLOOD to make an appointment.

Here are a few facts from the New York Blood Center about blood and the effect blood donations have on recipients of transfusions:

• 4.5 million Americans receive blood transfusions each year.
• 40,000 pints are transfused each day in the United States – to save the lives of cancer patients, accident, burn, and trauma victims, newborn babies, mothers delivering babies, transplant patients, surgery patients and others in need.
• Much of today’s sophisticated medical care (transplants, heart surgeries, etc.) relies on blood transfusions.
• Car accident and trauma victims may need as many as 50 or more red cell transfusions.