Blood Drives Offer Lessons in Learning

A Message to Schools, Students from New York Blood Center

NEW YORK, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the school season underway,
New York Blood Center would like to encourage students, teachers and faculty
to please organize blood drives at their schools, a process that teaches
community service and leadership skills, and offers a learning experience for
both students and the surrounding community.

The Little Doctors Program(R) is the brainchild of Karen Brothers, a middle
school educator. Now in its 13th year, it provides students an opportunity to
learn from the experience of organizing and planning a community blood drive.
As part of the Little Doctors Program®, students participate in a special
lesson about the lifesaving properties of blood and how it is used in their
community. They then recruit family members and neighbors for a blood drive
to be held at the school. At the blood drive the students are outfitted in
hospital scrubs where they serve as "Little Doctors" to greet donors and serve
post donation refreshments. To date, about 600 elementary and middle schools
have sponsored Little Doctors Program® blood drives.

New York Blood Center (NYBC) offers scholarships for high school and college
students who initiate and coordinate successful community blood drives. High
schools willing to host two blood drives per school year will receive a $250
scholarship for one student, or two scholarships at $250 each if three blood
drives are held. Students who independently organize and introduce a new
blood drive within their community may earn a $250 scholarship if the drive
yields at least 30 blood donations and $500 if that blood drive yields 50 or
more blood donations. All scholarships are made payable to the student's
choice of college.

Organizing a blood drive can be a thoughtful way of honoring or remembering
someone special within the school community. Over the years, hundreds of
blood drives have been dedicated to students, faculty and community members.

Last February, about 175 community members, teachers and personnel turned out
in support of the blood drive held for 7-year old Heather McNamara, who was
diagnosed in 2005 with an abnormal inflammatory myfroblastic tumor that had
cut off circulation to her major organs. Heather was the first child in the
world to undergo multi-organ transplant surgery, and returned to school for
the first time this week after a seven month recovery.

"She loves it," said Tina McNamara, Heather's mother. "She absolutely loves
school, and her class."

Prior to her surgery, Heather had received oral and intravenous chemotherapy,
after which blood transfusions were required to maintain her blood and
platelet count. Family members say Heather needed an additional eight pints
of blood during her 23-hour operation.

Congratulations to Heather for her remarkable recovery, and to all school
districts and communities that organize blood drives in support New York Blood
Center's mission to help save lives.

To donate blood, please call:
Toll Free: 1-800-933-2566
Visit: www.nybloodcenter.org

Any company, community organization, place of worship, or individual may host
a blood drive. NYBC also offers special community service scholarships for
students who organize community blood drives during the winter holiday and
summer periods. Blood donors receive free mini-medical exams on site
including information about their temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure and
hemoglobin level. Eligible donors include those people at least age 16 (with
parental permission or consent), who weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, are in
good health and meet all Food & Drug Administration and NY or NJ State
Department of Health donor criteria. People age 76 and over may donate with a
doctor's note.

About New York Blood Center: New York Blood Center (NYBC) is one of the
nation's largest non-profit, community-based blood centers. NYBC has been
providing blood, transfusion products and services to almost 200 hospitals,
serving 20 million people, in greater New York since 1964. NYBC is also home
to the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute and the National Cord Blood
Program at the Howard P. Milstein National Cord Blood Center, the world's
largest public cord blood bank. NYBC provides medical services and programs
(Clinical, Transfusion, and Hemophilia Services) through our medical
professionals along with consultative services in transfusion medicine.

Contact: Leslie Gonzalez
lgonzalez2@nybloodcenter.org
(212) 570-3304 Office
(646) 342-3038 Mobile
**Images available**

SOURCE New York Blood Center

Leslie Gonzalez of the New York Blood Center, +1-212-570-3304 Office,
+1-646-342-3038 Mobile, lgonzalez2@nybloodcenter.org