As the summer begins, the New York Blood Center is continuing its urgent appeal for blood donations, at a time of the year when the number of donations typically drops.

Dr. Robert Jones, New York Blood Center's President and CEO, has announced that the public response to an appeal for blood issued by the center earlier this month has not met the community's needs and that there is an alarmingly low inventory of blood in the New York, New Jersey Metro area.

The New York Blood Center has five divisions, including Long Island Blood Services, which covers Nassau, Suffolk and Queens.

Long Island Blood Services distributes blood to 50 area hospitals. This blood is used for cancer patients, transplant recipients, surgery patients, hemophiliacs, sufferers of sickle cell anemia, AIDS patients, and many others.

In New York and New Jersey, the NYBC tries to collect 2,000 pints a day to help these patients. "We currently have approximately a two-day supply of Type O blood, the most in-demand blood type, and we need a five-day supply in order to fully satisfy over 200 hospitals in New York and New Jersey," pointed out Jones. "We have been forced to reduce blood shipments to area hospitals. Therefore I'm urging all those eligible to donate now to help avoid a very real health crisis in our community."

There are many factors that have led to this impending health crisis. Linda Levi, of New York Blood Center, noted that the reasons for the blood shortage include the fact that blood demand has increased and the supply rate of donations has not kept pace. Only about one and a half percent of all eligible people donate blood in our area, whereas in the rest of the country the rate is as high as five percent.

The greater demand for blood is a result of several factors. One of these factors, explained Levi, is the aging population in our area. "While that's good news, because people are living longer, they also are likely to require some kind of surgery to keep themselves alive," she added. Another factor that Levi pointed to was that with all the sophisticated hospitals in the New York and New Jersey Metro area, there are many major surgeries being done that require a greater supply of blood. Levi noted that 20 years ago transplant surgeries weren't done and there were not as many open heart surgeries and other types of treatments that require blood donations.

Summer is an especially difficult time of the year to get blood donations because high schools and colleges, which represent approximately 10 percent of the donations received, are off and many people are on vacation or just do not think to donate during the hot summer months.

Jones explained that in addition to these other factors the center is experiencing a reduced ability to import blood from other parts of the United States or abroad.

A long-term problem that the center is facing is the historical year-to-year drop in blood donors and donation rates. Jones noted, "If each donor donated more often or new donors joined the life-saving donation process, we would never experience a blood shortage." People between the ages of 17 and 75, weighing a minimum of 110 pounds and in good general health can donate as often as every eight weeks.

To anyone who has concerns about blood donation Levi says, "Really they shouldn't be concerned. There's a momentary prick, that's it. Most people feel so good knowing that they've saved somebody else's life that momentary discomfort really goes out of their head very quickly." Statistically, the New York Blood Center has learned, that nine out of 10 people at some time in their life are going to need a blood donation. Levi added, "When you think of it in those terms you want to know that the supply is plentiful and that blood will be there when you or your neighbor, or your family member needs it."

Long Island Blood Services will be providing many opportunities for people to donate throughout the month of July in local areas.

In Levittown there will be a blood drive held at St. Bernard's, 3100 Hempstead Turnpike on July 18 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

There will be blood drives held in Wantagh on July 16 at St. Frances De Chantal, 1309 Wantagh Avenue, from 3-9 p.m. and at NYS Long Island Parks- Jones Beach West Bath House on July 20, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

A blood drive will be held in the staff room at Massapequa General Hospital, 750 Hicksville Road, Seaford on July 19, from 12-5:30 p.m.

New York State Long Island Parks- Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale will be the location of a blood drive on July 12, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

In Hicksville, a blood drive will be held at St. Ignatius Church on East Nicholai Street, from 8:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. on July 11.

To find a convenient donor location near you, call 1-800-933-BLOOD (2566).