King Singh, an 11-year-old from Queens Village, issued a heartfelt plea for blood donations at Cohen Children’s Medical Center on Thursday, highlighting the life-saving impact of blood transfusions.
Joined by his family and representatives from the New York Blood Center, King spoke about his ongoing battle with leukemia and the rare genetic blood disorder G6PD, conditions that have required him to receive numerous transfusions throughout his life.
“The summer is over, we’re back to school and back to our routine,” King said. “By giving blood, you are helping children like me survive. Please make blood donation a part of your routine.”
King, diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at age two, endured four years of chemotherapy and received numerous blood and platelet transfusions to survive. His mother, Shameeza Singh, expressed gratitude for those who have donated blood in the past, saying, “If it weren’t for people who took the time to donate blood, he would not be sitting here with us today.”
Shameeza also stressed the vital importance of donations, especially for children like her son. “Platelets and blood donations are extremely crucial for children like mine to survive through their treatment. You never know when your loved one may need blood, and it’s literally the option between life and death,” she said.
Northwell Health’s senior director of transfusion medicine, Alexander Indrikovs, MD, highlighted the ongoing challenges hospitals face with blood supply. “Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital blood usage has far outpaced community blood donations, straining both the local and national blood supply.” He added that seasonal challenges further strain the blood supply, with summer travel, school breaks and more accidents increasing demand. In winter, donations drop during and after the holidays, as bad weather disrupts blood drives and keeps donors home.
Yadira Navarro, director of community and stakeholder relations at the New York Blood Center, noted a concerning decline in donations from younger donors, particularly high school students. “This year, we hope that high schools across our area are inspired to get involved in this lifesaving mission and influence young people on the importance of saving lives through blood donations,” Navarro said.
As part of his effort to give back, King also brought a cart filled with new toys to donate to children in the hospital’s emergency department. “It’s my way of giving back for receiving this gift of life,” he said.
To learn more and find a blood donation location near you, visit NYBC.org
