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Blood Donors of the Decade

Red Cross Celebrates “Blood Donors of the Decade”
Local Residents Recognized for Blood Donations


The American Red Cross Blood services, New York-Penn Region is proud to announce that it is celebrating 153 regional “Blood Donors of the Decade.” Donors of the Decade are blood donors who have given blood at least six times  a year, every year, for ten years.  Donors of the Decade being recognized from the greater Buffalo area are:   David Kempston, Sr., Akron; David Caputo, Virginia Winter, Amherst;  Carl Elzer, Conrad Piskorz, Angola; Robert Kerrigan, Blasdell;  Joseph Jordan, Jr., Robert Lundquist, Roger McEniry, Patricia Salomon, Ernest Topor, William Wallace, Buffalo; Randall Bland, Robert Fralick, Bemus Point; Gary Grieco, Mark Lis, Lawrence Pask, Jr., Thomas Wiktorski, Cheektowaga; Mark Fralick, Corry;  Kathy Goettelman, Depew; Deborah Dias, Eden; Donald Armstrong, Glen Dickerson, Jr., Erwin Howard, Jr., Donald Short, Brian Stimson, Falconer; Francis Troutman, Forestville; Vincent Ognibene, Frewsburg; Carole Hansen, Gowanda; Peter Kuszcak, Guy Newell, Lawrence Sherman, Grand Island; Thomas Gorski, Marcus Koch, Jr., Gregory Lombardo, David Richards, George Schadt, Matthew Young, Hamburg; David Herman, Irving; Christopher Bernhardt, Lyman Buck, III, Walter Dahlgren, Valerie Francis, Stephen Koehler, Ronald Kuczenski, Theodore Kurtzhals, Jamestown; Louis Markiewicz, Kenmore; Kevin Kind, Henry Pawloswski, Lackawanna; Richard Dietrich, Kim Jablonski, Lakeview; Sebastian Caruana, Jr., Paul Goldyn, Mark Libraire, Lancaster; Douglas Arrance, David Dexheimer, Gerald Matecki, Paul Walker, Jr., N. Tonawanda; Robert Stevens, Niagara Falls; Paul Lawton, North Collins; Sharon Andritz, Walter Berndt, John Borycki, David Dirnberger, Robert Erickson, Leonard Gonshor, David Hamp, Rosemary Mayer, Robert Schurt, Tonawanda; Gregory Bukowski, Thomas Diemert, Gordon Dietrich, Arleen Mazgaj, West Seneca; Thomas Komara, Joseph Ortolani, Williamsville; George Watkins, Lakewood; Douglas Waterman, Stowe.  The donors are being recognized in March as part of a month long celebration  of National Red Cross month.  
    
“It is such a tremendous accomplishment that these donors have achieved,” said Kay Schwartz, chief executive officer, American Red Cross Blood Services, New York-Penn Region.  “Thanks to their generosity hundreds, even thousands of lives have been saved.  Their community spirit deserves to be recognized and praised.  My hope is that they become an inspiration to all those who have never given blood before.”
 
It is estimated that 60% of the population is eligible to donate blood, yet only five percent of those eligible actually do give blood.  Dedicated, volunteer blood donors who are committed to supporting the community blood supply are invaluable. On any given day an average of 34,000 units of red blood cells are needed in the United States.  This year alone, as many as five million patients will require blood transfusions, as accident victims, people undergoing surgery, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer and other diseases. Red blood cells have a life of only 42-days, so the supply must constantly be replenished to remain stable.  Blood donors are eligible to give every 56 days or up to six times per year.
 
All current eligible and new donors are urged to schedule and keep appointments to donate blood today by calling 1-800-GIVE LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or visiting www.DonateBloodNow.org.  Anyone 17 years or older, weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health may be eligible to donate blood.  In New York State, 16-year-olds may donate blood provided they bring an original signed New York State Informed Parental Consent for a 16-Year-Old to Donate Whole Blood to the blood drive.  The consent form can be found at www.DonateBloodNow.org/16.  Identification is required at the time of donation to give blood.

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