Friday, August 30, 2013

Update on Blood and Platelet Donations

We wanted to share with you the words of the Sloan-Kettering blood bank about the donations that have been coming in for Ezra: "The fact is that we have been inundated with calls...You have a wonderfully generous community...This has been an amazing effort with many young new donors." And they don't even know the half of what Ezra's supporters have done for him! We are blown away by this outpouring of love, support and generosity.

While the donor room has been flooded the past few weeks, there aren't as many donations scheduled into September. Platelets have a shelf life of approximately 3 days and blood about one month. Ezra will be needing platelets and blood for the foreseeable future, so please consider donating in the upcoming months. We know the Jewish holidays will make it difficult for some of you to donate in September, so we greatly appreciate all efforts!

Also, as a reminder, you can be any blood type to donate platelets. For whole blood, Ezra is O+ , but if you prefer to donate whole blood, there are many other adorable little patients around here needing blood, so all blood types are accepted!

The information on how to donate is repeated below:


IMPORTANT: Family members related BY BLOOD on either side can NOT donate.


From the Sloan Blood Bank:

EZRA FINEMAN Needs Blood & Platelets

4 year old Ezra is currently a patient at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. His treatment will require regular blood and platelet transfusions.  Ezra's blood type is currently O+.  For platelets, you can beANY blood type. 

Ezra and his family would deeply appreciate your donation of blood and/or platelets and requests you ask others you know to donate. Donations not used by Ezra will be released for use by other patients many of whom are children.

To benefit Ezra all designated donations must be made in the Blood Donor Room of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Please visit www.mskcc.org/blooddonations for complete information about FDA donor eligibility and the donation process for blood or platelets.

For answers to questions and to schedule an appointment that is convenient for you please Contact:      

Mary Thomas  -   212-639-3335

Donor Relations Specialist

thomasfm@mskcc.org

The Blood Donor Room –

1250 First Avenue (between 67th/68th Streets) NYC - Schwartz Building lobby

Open Every Day

Fri Sat Sun Mon     8:30am - 3:00pm

Tues Wed Th         8:30am - 7:00pm

212-639-7648

 

The process for donating whole blood takes approximately 1 hour.

The process for donating platelets takes about 2 ½ hours.

 

Appointments are necessary.

 

FREE Donor Parking -

-Somerset Parking Garage, 1365 York Avenue –entrance on 72nd Street, N.W.corner