Date: Fri 28-Aug-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

health-emergency-blood-drive

Full Text:

Need For Blood Sparks Emergency Drive

(with cut)

BY KAAREN VALENTA

An emergency blood drive will be held on Thursday, September 3, in Newtown

because blood supplies are so critically short that the American Red Cross is

being forced to import blood from outside the Connecticut region.

"Presently we are unable to meet hospital needs for O negative and AB negative

-- only 70 percent of the orders are being filled," said Elaine Woody,

spokesman for the American Red Cross's Blood Services regional office in

Seymour.

The blood drive is being sponsored by the Western Connecticut Federal Credit

Union of Newtown and will be held from 8:30 am to 7 pm at the Sandy Hook

firehouse on Riverside Drive.

According to the Red Cross, the state needs to collect 660 units/pints of

blood per day and has fallen short in recent weeks.

Edward O'Malley, president and chief executive officer of the credit union,

said he was contacted by the Red Cross because of the successful blood drives

that the non-profit credit union has sponsored in the past year including one

last fall that was the largest ever in Newtown and the second largest in the

state.

As with previous drives, in addition to contributing $25 to new and existing

credit union accounts for each blood donor, the credit union also will donate

$5 per donor to the Cairns Iris Fund, a fund-raising effort to raise money to

purchase a Cairns Iris device, an infrared sensor which allows firefighters to

"see" through smoke and locate fire victims. The device will be carried at all

times on the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company's new rescue truck which

responds to all confirmed fire calls in Newtown.

"I'm going to continue with this effort until enough money is raised to

purchase one of these devices," Mr O'Malley said. "At this time, we anticipate

that it will take two or three years."

The credit union also will give $5 to Newtown Youth Services for each donor at

the September 3 blood drive.

Every blood donation made can help as many as three different patients because

each unit of blood is separated into three components. Red blood cells, which

last up to seven weeks under refrigeration, are used for surgery patients.

Cancer patients or bone marrow transplant recipients receive platelets to

prevent hemorrhaging. These fragile cell fragments last for only five days,

and patients need platelets from as many as six to 10 donors for every

transfusion.

Patients suffering burns, shock or dehydration need blood plasma. Plasma also

can be transformed into a variety of products to combat shock, fight

infection, or replace clotting factors for patients with hemophilia. A single

transfusion for a patient with hemophilia can require literally hundreds of

volunteer blood donors.

"Every two seconds, someone needs a blood transfusion. Yet fewer than five

percent of the people who are able to give blood actually do so, and most of

them give blood only once a year," Ms Woody said.

It is not possible to contract HIV/AIDS, hepatitis or any other infectious

disease when donating blood because a new sterile needle is used each time

blood is drawn. The needle is discarded afterwards.

According to the Red Cross, it takes about 56 days for a person to regenerate

his or her blood supply after donating blood. Some dedicated donors come back

every 56 days.

Mr O'Malley said Western Connecticut Federal is the credit union for Danbury

Hospital and New Milford Hospital as well as the town of Newtown and, as such,

has a link to helping with the medical needs of the community. The hospitals

purchase all blood from the Red Cross, he said.

"Donors can't get paid by the Red Cross to donate blood so this is our way of

doing it," Mr O'Malley said. At last year's blood drive some of the donors

told us to put the $25 toward the fund-raising effort, he added.

Blood donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be

healthy. They can safely donate blood every 56 days -- as many as six times a

year.

To make an appointment for the blood drive, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or Fileta

Sheehan at 426-5056 extension 101. Walk-ins also will be accommodated.