LYNN — North Shore Community College, or NSCC, will host a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday amid a national shortage.
NSCC will partner with the American Red Cross to conduct the event at the college’s gym at 300 Broad St. Earlier this year, the American Red Cross declared a national blood crisis, the country’s worst blood shortage in more than a decade. David Solimine Jr. is a former NSCC Foundation board member and currently sits on the Northeast American Red Cross Board of Directors. He said the COVID-19 pandemic limited the number of blood drives the organization could host, leading to the shortage it is now hoping to address.
“It really is national and every community needs to do its part to contribute in order to have a healthy blood supply,” Solimine said. “Lynn is stepping up to the plate.”
Solimine said natural disasters also impact the national blood supply. He cited Hurrian Ian as an example and said in its aftermath, people in Florida are in need of blood donations and are unable to hold blood drives.
Solimine added that the Red Cross and others in the blood business are now working together to shift supply to where it’s needed.
“One of the places where we hope to have blood drives is in high schools and colleges because that introduces young folks to giving blood and many become lifelong blood donors,” Solimine said. “And obviously, the younger the population, usually the more healthy they are, and more folks are eligible to give blood. Getting into the schools is critical.”
Amid the shortage, doctors have been forced to make decisions about which patients receive blood transfusions and which do not. According to the American Red Cross, blood and platelet donations are critically needed to help prevent further delays in vital media treatments.
“Each person that donates blood could be saving four lives,” Solimine said. “For an hour of your time and a minimal amount of discomfort, you could literally save four lives with your blood. That’s a pretty terrific thing.”
The American Red Cross will host additional blood drives in Lynn on Nov. 5 at the Greater Bethlehem Temple Pentecostal Church, on Nov. 8 at the Knights of Columbus, and on Nov. 17 at the Demakes Family YMCA.
Those interested in donating can schedule an appointment to do so at redcrossblood.org.
