Croton Blood Drive

The following is a news release from the Community Blood Drive.

They were a group not usually seen at a blood center donor room. Among the phlebotomists, nurses, various technicians and blood donors were a group of children who came to meet the formerly anonymous donors whose generosity was keeping them alive. There was Sean Seamus in his cub scout uniform, who is suffering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma – a cancer of the lymphatic system. Simone Schultz was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia and needs transfusions and platelets to win her fight against cancer. Heather McNamara had a myofibroblastic tumor and needed eight pints of blood during the surgery to remove it.

Although many of the children, too many to mention here, were too young to grasp the entire donation process, they sensed that these folks in the donor room were helping them to recover from their illnesses. In meeting the children, the blood donors got an unexpected realization of the importance of what they were doing – saving these precious young cancer patients with the blood which was so easy for them to give.

The next – and 83rd – community blood drive on Sunday, December 4, will be a particularly important one, since the recent weather conditions have put severe pressure and unusual expenditures on area residents, causing widespread distress. People who are stressed themselves are less likely to think about helping others. But despite power outages and damage to property, the need for blood remains as great as ever.

Once more the Hudson Valley Blood Center is bringing the donor room to Croton’s High School gym from 9:00 to 3:00 to make it easier and pleasanter to come at one’s most convenient time, get a mini physical, meet friends and neighbors, bring the Sunday paper, roll up a sleeve and save the life or someone who might not make to the New Year without it.

Donors must be at least 16 years old and 110 pounds. Those over 76 will be accepted with their doctor’s written permission; 16-year-olds need a parent’s permission. It is important for the medical staff to know how many donors to prepare for, and a call to 271-7645, 271-8449, 739-3174, or an e-mail to mailcommunityblooddrive@gmail.com for an appointment would be greatly appreciated. Refreshments will be served; baby-sitters will be available. The entire donation process, from registration to refreshment should take less than an hour.

It is hoped that the loyal, generous people of this community will once more show their gratitude for their good health with all those less unfortunate ones of all ages who desperately need this gift of life.