By Matt Fairfax DEWITT, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) – The Red Cross says as hospitals resume surgeries and patients resume treatments during the pandemic, the need for blood donations is crucial.
While blood shortages in the United States are not uncommon, the pandemic has exacerbated the need for blood in Central New York. Several local blood drives have been held in September to address this issue in places like DeWitt, Liverpool, Syracuse, Camillus, and more.
David Poliner, a cardiac intensivist at Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital, who donated blood at the DeWitt Community Church on September 16, said he donates blood for those around him.
“So when I say I give my blood, sweat, and tears to my patients, it actually means to give of my own blood to my patients,” Poliner said. “So it was important for me to do this today.”
Laurence Segal, known as the can man and the blood man in Central New York for his passions of collecting cans to raise money for cancer research and sponsoring blood drives, said the cancer death of his best friend inspired him to get involved in the world of philanthropy.
“I decided while he was going through it, and before he passed away, that I would commit the rest of my life to doing what I could to help cancer patients and do things like blood drives,” Segal said.
Segal also said the decision of patients to avoid procedures where blood transfusions will be required is worrying for the blood supply.
“The tests that are early detection tests, the tests that detect cancer early, they’re not getting those,” Segal said. “And because they’re not getting those, a lot of people are finding late-stage cancer diagnosis. And what do you need to stay alive when you’re getting chemo? Blood.”
According to the Red Cross, red blood cells are the most commonly transfused blood component, and therefore the most needed.
American Red Cross procedures state a person can give whole blood donations every 56 days and Power Red donations every 112 days.
Red Cross blood drives in Central New York are offering incentives for blood donors throughout the month of September including limited-edition shirts, coupons for free haircuts, and more.
