For Immediate Release
September 4, 2009

BUFFALO, NY – Celebrate this Labor Day with a “labor of love” and donate much-needed blood or platelets at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). Your donation today will help to save a life tomorrow. Many cancer patients require blood and platelet transfusions as part of their care. RPCI is seeking blood donors willing to take the time to donate platelets to meet an ever-increasing need.

Platelets are the blood cells in your body that help stop bleeding. Treatments such as chemotherapy and blood and marrow transplantation leave patients with dangerously low levels of platelets. Without platelets and the donors who give them, patients are at increased risk of bleeding even before they can benefit from the treatments. To have a chance at life, platelet transfusions are necessary for the patient’s healthy recovery.

A donation of platelets, called plateletpheresis, is similar to donating whole blood. The simple, safe process takes approximately 90 minutes. Blood is removed from the donor and passed through a machine that separates and collects the platelets. The donor’s body quickly replaces the removed platelets.

The RPCI Donor Center is open six days per week, with flexible daily hours of operation. To donate, you must be at least 17 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds. By making a commitment to be a donor, you are helping Roswell Park meet the daily needs of its cancer patients. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 845-8275 or visit our website at Roswell Park Cancer Institute - Donate Blood - Comprehensive Cancer Center

The mission of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. RPCI, founded in 1898, was one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.

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