Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts is once again partnering with the New York Blood Center to host a community blood drive on Thursday, May 9, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the second floor Uptown Room at Empire City Casino. Empire City continues to host the annual blood drives to increase awareness and provide a convenient location for guests, employees and area residents to make life-saving blood donations.
Annually, 700,000 units of blood are needed by patients, but fewer than 500,000 units are donated. Patients of all ages require life-saving blood or platelet transfusions including cancer patients, accident, burn or trauma victims, transplant recipients, surgery patients, mothers during pregnancy and childbirth, newborn infants and many more. NYBC services approximately 200 hospitals throughout the New York and New Jersey region.
“The statistics are frightening. Every two seconds someone needs a blood transfusion,” said Ed Domingo, president and COO of Empire City. “That’s an astounding 30 people in need each minute. At Empire City, we are committed to doing our part to support our communities however we can. We commend the New York Blood Center for their tireless and critical work and encourage everyone to schedule an appointment and be a blood donor.”
Nationally, nearly 5 million Americans require a blood transfusion each year. However, only about 3% of eligible blood donors in the United States choose to donate blood, and research has shown a need for ongoing donations from younger and diverse populations to ensure the resilience of the nation’s blood supply.
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