New York State Senate Pete Harckham hosted a blood drive in partnership with the New York Blood Center (NYBC) at the Field Library in Peekskill on August 21 and collected 40 pints of blood–enough to save up to 120 lives.
This is Harckham’s eighth blood drive since taking office in 2019 and his second since the NYMBC declared a blood emergency on June 2. A blood emergency means there is less than a one- to two-day supply of critical blood types across the region. This puts people at risk who are experiencing all kinds of medical and health emergencies and issues, from trauma victims and surgery patients to those undergoing cancer treatment or facing life-threatening complications.
“This blood drive was a great example of how community members can come together to help in times of a severe shortage in our blood supply,” said Harckham. “I thank our generous donors, the NYBC and the Peekskill Field Library for responding to the blood emergency and making this drive a success.”
“Blood donations traditionally decline in the summer as many families are on vacation and schools are out of session, yet the need for blood never takes a holiday,” said NYBC Account Manager Camilo Rubio. “We want to thank The Field Library for hosting the blood drive during this time. We are especially grateful to New York State Senator Pete Harckham for stepping up not once, but twice this summer to support lifesaving blood drives. His leadership, combined with the generosity of our community donors, made it possible to collect 40 more pints of blood—enough to help save the lives of up to 120 patients in local hospitals. Partnerships like these are essential to keeping New York’s blood supply strong throughout the summer months.”
With more than 56,000 traumas reported annually in the state, the need for donors is continuous. In fact, Rubio noted that while donations tend to decline during the summer months, the rate of accidents and trauma incidents tends to increase, further exacerbating low donation rates.
A single donation can make a world of difference. One unit of blood can be separated into several components, including red blood cells, platelets and plasma. The red blood cells are key to respiration, while platelets promote blood clotting and support cancer treatments. Just one donation can save three lives.
Founded in 1964, the NYBC has served the tri-state area for more than 60 years, delivering 500,000 lifesaving blood products annually to more than 150 hospitals, EMS and healthcare partners.
Last month, Harckham and the NYBC hosted a blood drive at the Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps alongside County Legislator Emiljana Ulaj and collected 45 pints of blood.
“The Field Library is incredibly proud to have partnered with Senator Harckham’s office to provide space for the blood drive,” said Library Director Dana Hysell. “Donating blood is a simple, yet profoundly impactful way to address a critical need and hopefully help save lives. The library, Senator Harckham, and all those who came out to donate exemplify our shared commitment to the well being of the Peekskill community.”
