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BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) - "Before you know it, you're done and you've given that great gift." Doctor John Manis is the Boston Children's Hospital Blood Bank Medical Director and says donating blood is one of the easiest ways you can save a child's life.
Boston Children's, like many around the country, is facing a blood and platelet shortage.
"The only way we can get patients through cancer treatments or get patients through surgeries, and these are really life saving surgeries, is from blood transfusion, both from platelets and red cells." Dr. Manis said.
The biggest need for Boston Children's is platelet donation. Platelets are essential to help patients stop bleeding by helping to clot the blood. One of the problems is the shelf-life of blood. Red cells have a shelf-life of about a month, while platelets is just seven days. The good news? Unlike whole blood donations, who typically wait about 56 days between donations, platelet donors can donate every two weeks.
Donating takes anywhere from 60-120 minutes and you can read, listen to music, watch TV or a DVD, or just sit back and relax.
To donate, you can make an appointment here, or the Blood Donor Center at 333 Longwood Avenue is currently accepting walk-ins.
Hours of operation are:
- Sunday: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Monday: CLOSED
- Tuesday: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Friday: 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday: 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
WBZ's Karyn Regal (@KarynRegal) reports
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