January is National Blood Donor Month, and the New York Mets are hosting their Annual Winter Blood Drive on Jan. 9 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Citi Field.
Participants can enter Citi Field — located at 123-01 Roosevelt Ave — at the Hodges Entrance and park in Lot G on 126th Street. Fans donating blood will receive a voucher redeemable for two tickets to a select Mets home game this year.
“Roughly one in seven hospital admissions require a blood transfusion and nearly 2,000 donations are needed each day in New York and New Jersey alone — so supplies must be continually replenished,” said Doreen Fiscina, account manager at the New York Blood Center. “Winter weather, cold and flu season, and the holidays all contribute to making this one of the most difficult times of the year to maintain an adequate blood supply.”
Those in need include: cancer patients; accident; burn; trauma victims; newborn babies and mothers delivering babies; transplant recipients; surgery patients; chronically transfused patients suffering from sickle cell disease or thalassemia, and many more, according to the New York City Blood Center, one of the largest community-based, nonprofit blood collection and distribution organizations in the U.S.
Eligible donors must be between the ages of 16-75 (16 year olds must have parental permission and age 76 and over must provide a doctor’s note); proper identification with a photo and signature; minimum weight must be 110 pounds; eat well (low fat diet) and drink fluids; and no tattoos for the past 12 months.
For questions concerning medical eligibility interested participants can call 800-688-0900, or for more information or to make an appointment, contact Doreen Fiscina at 516-478-5031.
