NJ officials pushing for more blood donations
New Jersey’s health commissioner, Mary O’Dowd, says the state is facing a blood shortage. So, she’s planning on stopping by a blood drive in Mount Holly today to push more residents to give blood.
Her department says the state has less than a 48-hour supply of blood for trauma care, critical surgeries, cancer patients and organ transplants. Because of the shortage, New Jersey has to import blood from other states.
Feeling guilty about not giving yet? Over at PhillyBurbs.com, Jeannie O’Sullivan reports on a man who’s given blood 80 times. How ’bout now?
Officials say that just 3.6 percent of the state’s adults donate blood. If giving matched the national average of 5 percent, they say New Jersey could have a self-sustaining supply.
Need another motivator? There’s free juice and cookies.
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