This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Make Blood Donation Awareness Month Count

It’s Blood Donation Awareness Month: Are you helping to keep our local blood supply stocked? After all, one out of three people will eventually need a blood donation, according to the New York Blood Center. That means you or someone you love will use it someday.

Local blood centers need 400 pints of blood every day to distribute to cancer patients, accident victims, surgical patients and others who need blood transfusions. Due to holidays, travel, inclement weather and illness, blood supplies are usually at their lowest during the winter months, the New York Blood Center says. That means right now is a great time to donate.

To give blood, you must be at least 17. Those who are 76 and up can continue to donate blood if they meet all donor criteria and present a doctor’s letter; talk to your physician to be sure.

Find out what's happening in Hauppaugewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The process takes about 45 minutes from start (registration) to finish (cookies-and-juice time). For every pint of whole blood you donate, you can save up to three lives. That’s a great return for less than an hour of your time.

This post was written by Margie Pemberton, RN, associate executive director at Plainview Hospital. 

Find out what's happening in Hauppaugewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

For more North Shore-LIJ Health Blog posts, go to http://blog.northshorelij.com/ 

Contents of the health blog are the property of North Shore-LIJ Health System and are provided as a health resource for consumers, health care professionals and members of the media. The medical content on the North Shore-LIJ Health Blog is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for consultation with your physician regarding diagnosis, treatment or any other form of specific medical advice. These materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "North Shore-LIJ Health System," "North Shore-LIJ," "northshorelij.com," "VivoHealth," their related entities and logos are trademarks of the North Shore-LIJ Health System. Copyright © 2011 North Shore-LIJ Health System. All rights reserved.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?