Hospital Hosts Community Blood Drive

Overlook Hospital and Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) are hosting a community blood drive at the hospital Thursday in an effort to end a blood and platelets shortage.

Robert Seman, public relations coordinator for Atlantic Health, said in the summer hospitals traditionally do experience a blood shortage for a variety of reasons. While part of the reason for the shortage is less donations due to summer vacations and a lack of employer-sponsored drives, Seman said there are also more accidents in the summer, increasing the hospital's need for blood.

Both Lance and Hospital President Alan Lieber will be on hand from 1-2 p.m. to participate in the drive which will be ongoing from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Overlook Hospital Blood Donor Services. Lieber will also be donating.

Lance, who organized the event, is a regular blood donor.

"Donating blood is one of the most generous gifts that you can give another person," he said in a press release.

One blood donation can save up to three lives. While nine out of 10 people need blood at some point in their lives, most times of year New Jersey has less than a two-day supply of blood.

Seman said on overage Overlook receives 50 to 100 donations a month. The rest of the hospital's supply is shipped from blood banks in the state and from New York.

A blood drive similar to the one planned for Thursday can bring in 50 to 100 donations in just one day, Seman said. All of the blood donated will stay at Overlook Hospital. The departments which use the most blood are the outpatient chemotherapy infusion center, the emergency department, the intensive care unit and the operating rooms.

While all are encouraged to participate there are restrictions on who can donate:

• People over 75 must have a physician's letter if they meet all donor criteria
• Donors must be at least 17 years old or 16 with written consent from a parent or legal guardian, weigh 110 pounds and be in good health
• Teenage and female donors may also be subject to height/weight restrictions
• It is generally recommended that whole blood donations be made no sooner than every 56 days. Overlook recommends a limit of no less than two weeks between platelet donations.