Community Blood Services to Honor Blood Collection Professionals During Eighth Annual Blood Collectors Week

September 9-15

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During the week of September 9-15, Community Blood Services of NJ/NY will join other blood centers across the country in celebrating Blood Collectors Week, sponsored by AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks) and Fenwal, Inc., a pioneer in transfusion medicine.

This annual recognition week recognizes and celebrates the critical role blood collectors serve in helping to ensure blood is available to patients in need.

Community members are encouraged to show their support for this profession by making a blood donation and helping blood collectors meet the blood supply of their community hospitals throughout the week as Community Blood Services honors its collectors with special events and recognition.

For more information, or to schedule a donation, please click here or call 866-228-1500.

"Thanks to the dedication of our highly skilled phlebotomists, apheresis operators, technicians, recruiters and the drivers who transport the lifesaving blood donations are able to meet the transfusion needs of seriously ill and injured patients in the more than 15 community hospitals we serve," said Karen Ferriday, director of community affairs at Community Blood Services. "Every day those dedicated to this profession do their utmost to ensure blood is there when patients need it."

According to AABB, about 30 million units of blood components are transfused annually in the United States. Blood transfusions are a critical component in the treatment of people with serious medical conditions, including cancer patients, organ transplant recipients, and accident and trauma victims. Volunteer blood donors are the primary source of blood used for transfusions.

Blood collection professionals serve an important role in recruiting and educating donors, and in helping to ensure a safe and comfortable donation experience. Blood collection staff will help facilitate either a whole blood or apheresis donation. In a whole blood donation, a pint of blood is collected and then divided into its therapeutic components for transfusion. With an apheresis donation, a donor can give platelets, plasma or red blood cells. Red blood cells represent the blood component in highest demand with about 16 million units transfused annually.

"When people volunteer to donate blood, the quality of their experience is often determined by their interaction with blood collection staff," said Karen Shoos Lipton, chief executive officer of AABB. "Blood collection staffers play an integral role in helping to ensure that blood is readily available whenever and wherever it is needed."

"We are proud to once again partner with AABB in recognizing all the individuals that dedicate their efforts to blood collection," said Ron Labrum, CEO of Fenwal, Inc. "Their efforts save and improve lives everyday in our communities and Blood Collectors Week presents the perfect opportunity to say 'thank you' to them. At Fenwal we feel privileged to work and support such an important need."