RWJBarnabas Health Makes Call for Blood Donations This Holiday Season; Urges Donors to Return to Address Emergency Shortages
RWJBarnabas Health urges everyone to donate blood and platelets to help overcome a national blood shortage this winter. Blood collection in New Jersey is down more than 25 percent since late summer, compounding the effect that the COVID-19 lock downs had on reduced donations in 2020. Life-saving blood donations are given to patients in a wide range of circumstances including cancer care, trauma events such as car accidents and home accidents, childbirth, and mass casualty events.
“We need New Jersey residents to give the gift of blood this holiday season as blood supplies have yet to catch up since the height of the pandemic,” said Sally Wells, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Blood Services Business Development Liaison. “There are less blood drives being organized at workplaces, schools, houses of worship and community organizations. Our hospitals rely on the support of individuals to provide much of the blood we use, and we need your help now to address this blood shortage and prevent potential delays in lifesaving medical care for patients in New Jersey.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on people’s habits and daily lives and as a result, a profound impact on blood donations and collection nationwide. Prior to the pandemic, high school and college blood drives supplied about 40 percent of donations across the country. Many drives have not returned to these settings, challenging the industry to keep up with demand, which has returned to pre-pandemic levels.
RWJBarnabas Health is calling for blood donors of all types, especially type O, the universal blood type, and platelet donors.
Here’s how you can donate:
Schedule an appointment at one of our fixed site Donor Rooms.
RWJBarnabas Health has two fixed locations, one at RWJUH in New Brunswick, located on the 4th floor of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Clinical Academic Building (CAB) at 125 Paterson Street in New Brunswick, and one at RWJUH Somerset, located at 110 Rehill Avenue in Somerville. Both Donor Centers are open Monday -Friday and select Saturdays.
To make an appointment at a fixed RWJBH Donor Room or to find a blood drive location near you, please visit: https://www.rwjuhdonorclub.org. or call 732-235-8100 ext. 221.
Attend a local blood drive.
RWJBarnabas Health is hosting several blood drives across the state this holiday season including the following:
The Community Medical Center “Gift of Life” Blood Drive
Monday, December 20th from 10am-6pm
Community Medical Center Auditorium A & B
99 Hwy. 37 West
Toms River, NJ 08755
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset Blood Drives
Friday, December 24th and Friday, December 31st from 8am-2pm
110 Rehill Ave, Somerville, NJ 08875
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital “Holiday Blood Drives”
Tuesday, December 28th and Thursday, December 30th from 10am to 4pm
Arline & Henry Schwartzman Courtyard
1 Robert Wood Johnson Place
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Free parking is available for all blood donors. Donors must be at least 16-years old (16 -year-olds require written parental consent) and weigh at least 110 pounds (120 pounds if 16-years old). Donors must also present photo identification at the time of donation.
Donor Centers and all RWJBarnabas Health Blood Drives have rigorous safety protocols in place to protect all donors. These include temperature checks of staff and donors, required face coverings, social distancing requirements in waiting areas and donation spaces, as well as strict sanitary protocols including disinfection of donor areas. Donors must also wear masks or face covering.
To organize a blood drive in your community, please call Sally Wells at 732-558-4983 or email [email protected].
Photo by Charlie-Helen Robinson on Pexels.com