FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Immediate Needs Met, Blood Center Urges Donor Registration for October - November

SEPTEMBER 12, 2001, SEATTLE — After a record number of blood donations yesterday, Puget Sound Blood Center asks prospective donors to register online to give blood in October and November.

“The immediate needs have been met,” said Dr. Richard Counts, Blood Center president. “In a spontaneous response to yesterday’s terrorist attacks, 2,300 people in Western Washington donated blood at Puget Sound Blood Center, a one-day record.

“We’ve been in direct contact with the New York Blood Center since yesterday and officials there say that they do not presently need more blood due to an overwhelming outpouring of local donors as well as shipments from nearby blood centers,” Dr. Counts said.

“But the need is still great,” he added. “Although the emergency need for blood has been met, victims of this tragedy will require chronic reconstructive surgery that will use a lot of blood in the coming weeks.

“Consequently, donors should register now to give blood in October and November when the need for blood again will be great.”

Those who want to give blood are asked to request an October or November appointment online by visiting www.psbc.org.

In addition, the Northwest Tissue Services, a division of the Blood Center, has skin grafts available for New York burn victims. The American Association of Tissue Banks is coordinating a national effort to meet the need.

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