West Orange, NJ, January 3, 2023– RWJBarnabas Health continues its urgent appeal for blood and platelet donations, especially Type O blood, this January during National Blood Donor Month in response to a severe blood and platelet shortage among hospitals throughout the state. The surge in respiratory illnesses and recent winter weather has exacerbated the already acute nationwide shortage, and blood suppliers are in critical need of blood products in order to meet the demands throughout this winter.

According to America’s Blood Centers, a blood transfusion occurs every two seconds in the United States. Life-saving blood is given to patients in extensive and varied situations, as in cancer therapies, traumas such as motor-vehicle, industrial and home accidents, childbirth, open heart surgery, organ transplants, and mass casualty events. Despite this, only three percent of Americans donate blood.

Blood drives across the RWJBarnabas Health system in late November and December yielded approximately 500 units of blood and 150 units of platelets. All blood and platelet donations at an RWJBH blood drive or donor room stay within the system and have a direct impact on local blood supply availability within a few days of being donated.

“This National Blood Donor Month, we’d like to thank our donors who have already selflessly rolled up their sleeves in response to the call for donations and our sponsors who make local blood drives possible. Their support has already made a difference in the availability of Type O blood, the universal blood type, and platelets during this difficult time of year,” said Sally Wells, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Blood Services Business Development Liaison. “We continue to urge New Jersey residents to donate blood and help us avoid disruptions to routine and emergency medical care.”

RWJBarnabas Health is calling on blood donors of all types, especially Type O and platelet donors to help bolster the blood supply. Here’s how to donate:

RWJBarnabas Health has two fixed locations, at RWJUH in New Brunswick (located on the 4th floor of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Clinical Academic Building (CAB) at 125 Paterson Street in New Brunswick) and at RWJUH Somerset (located at 110 Rehill Avenue in Somerville). Both are open Monday-Friday and select Saturdays. For hours of operations and to schedule an appointment visit https://www.rwjuhdonorclub.org.

RWJBarnabas Health is hosting several blood drives across the state in January that include:

Monmouth Medical Center, Southern Campus Blood Drive

Thursday, January 5 from 1:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.

Schulman Conference Center

600 River Avenue, Lakewood, NJ

Jersey City Medical Center Blood Drive

Wednesday, January 11 from 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

Ambulatory Care Center, 3rd Floor Conference Room

395 Grand Street, Jersey City, NJ

Bradley Beach Community Blood Drive @ Bradley Beach Fire Dept.

Thursday, January 12 from 11:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.

Training Room

815 Main Street, Bradley Beach, NJ

South Plainfield Elks Blood Drive

Saturday, January 14 from 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Social Hall

1254 New Market Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ

Jersey Shore Blue Claws Blood Drive

Tuesday, January 17 from 11:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.

RWJBarnabas Health Champions Club

2 Stadium Way, Lakewood, NJ

Rutgers Blood Drive

Thursday, January 19 from 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Rutgers Business Administration Building, Conference/Training Rooms, 135 A&B

33 Knightsbridge Road, Piscataway, NJ

Maternal Health Awareness Day Blood Drive @ Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Monday, January 23 from 10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Arline and Henry Schwartzman Courtyard

1 Robert Wood Johnson Place, New Brunswick, NJ

Trinitas Regional Medical Center Blood Drive

Tuesday, January 24 from 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

1st Floor Café

225 Williamson Street, Elizabeth, NJ

Old Bridge Community Blood Drive

Wednesday, January 25 from 11:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.

YMCA of Old Bridge

1 Mannio Park Drive, Old Bridge, NJ

New Brunswick Islamic Center Blood Drive

Saturday, January 28 from 9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Gymnasium

1330 Livingston Ave., North Brunswick, NJ

Bell Works Blood Drive

Tuesday, January 31 from 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

Main Courtyard

101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ

To schedule an appointment at a fixed RWJBH Donor Room or an upcoming local blood drive, please visit https://www.rwjuhdonorclub.org or call 732-235-8100 ext. 221 for RWJUH in New Brunswick or 908-685-2926 for RWJUH Somerset.

Free parking is available for all blood donors. Donors must be at least 16-years old (16 -year-olds require written parental consent) and weigh at least 110 pounds (120 pounds if 16 years old). Donors must also present photo identification at the time of donation.

Donor Centers and all RWJBarnabas Health Blood Drives have safety protocols in place to protect all donors. These include social distancing requirements in waiting areas and donation spaces, face masks required for all staff, as well as strict sanitary protocols including disinfection of donor areas. Donors may be required to wear a mask or face covering at certain donation locations.

To organize a blood drive in your community, please call Sally Wells at 732-558-4983 or email sally.wells@rwjbh.org.

RWJBarnabas Health is the largest, most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey, with a service area covering eight counties with five million people. The system includes twelve acute care hospitals – Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Community Medical Center in Toms River, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Jersey City Medical Center in Jersey City, Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton in Hamilton, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway in Rahway, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville; Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth; three acute care children’s hospitals; Children’s Specialized Hospital, including a network of outpatient centers; a behavioral health center and the state’s largest behavioral health network; two trauma centers; a satellite emergency department; ambulatory care centers; geriatric centers; comprehensive home care and hospice programs; fitness and wellness centers; retail pharmacy services; an affiliated medical group; multi-site imaging centers; and two accountable care organizations.

RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers – with more than 38,000 employees and 9,000 physicians – and routinely captures national awards for outstanding quality and safety. RWJBarnabas Health, in partnership with Rutgers University, is New Jersey’s largest academic health care system. The collaboration aligns RWJBarnabas Health with Rutgers’ education, research, and clinical activities, including those at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey – the state’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center – and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care.