Kids Getting Another Chance At Life, Youth Blood Donation Needs

First National Campaign Highlighting Child Blood Needs

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America's Blood Centers

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"Pints for Half Pints: Giving Kids Another Chance" will put a young face on the need for blood donation. Of the 69 million children in the United States, hundreds of thousands suffer from various forms of leukemia, sickle cell, need transplants, and are born prematurely. More than 3,000 new cases of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are diagnosed in children under 15 each year. These young patients require life-saving blood components such as red blood cells (to prevent anemia) and platelets (to help their blood clot and prevent internal bleeding).

"Many of these kids today run, skip, and play because they got another chance at life. In most cases, this would not be possible without the generosity of volunteer blood donors," said Celso Bianco, M.D., President, America's Blood Centers and Vice President, Medical Affairs, New York Blood Center.

"We wanted to focus on children because they are not old enough to donate blood themselves, but their lives often depend upon blood being on the shelf when it is needed. It's a wonderful feeling to know that blood makes such an important difference in a child's life," he added.

Founded in 1962, America's Blood Centers (ABC) is the national network of non-profit, local, independent community blood centers that collect about half (47%) of the U.S. blood supply. Together, ABC blood centers serve about 125 million people and provide blood and blood services to more than 3,100 hospitals nationwide.

U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D. warned last month that blood supplies are declining, and the demand for blood may exceed the available supply by as early as the year 2000, according to a recent study.

"The stress on the blood supply system is increasing," Dr. Bianco said. "We are hoping to educate and cultivate a younger, healthy generation of blood donors to replace those who will soon no longer be able to donate," Dr. Bianco said. "This new generation of donors (people in their late teens and 20s) is the key to our blood supply today and tomorrow. We believe they will fully understand the reasoning behind 'Pints for Half Pints' and begin a life-long commitment to blood donation."

The "Pints for Half Pints: Giving Kids Another Chance" campaign is the first national blood donor recruitment program sponsored by ABC and its Foundation. Corporate sponsors of the program include the Adam's Mark Orlando, Baxter-Fenwal Division, Famous Artists, Kendro Laboratories, and SeaWorld Adventure Park Orlando. Other organizations supporting the campaign include the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the Children's Rights Council, the National Association of Elementary School Principles, the National Association of Women, Infant and Children Directors, and the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association.

The kick-off event will be held in Orlando at SeaWorld Adventure Park on Thursday, Oct. 14, 1999, to unveil the "Pints for Half Pints" Year 2000 calendar. The 52-week calendar features pictures of children who were selected by ABC members to represent their communities. A short story about each child's condition and need for blood will accompany each picture. The calendars will be used to raise awareness about the need for blood donations and sold to raise funds for education programs about blood needs and uses.

Also blood donation facts and "Remember to Donate Today" messages will be scattered through the calendar to remind people to make regular blood donation appointments every eight weeks or 56 days.

Among other blood donation facts to be included are: