Blood Drive Honors Long Beach Man With Rare Illness

Long Beach — The City of Long Beach is holding a blood drive on Thursday, April 29, 2021.
The drive is honoring Emil Orlando Temple. The 20-year-old was diagnosed with aplastic anemia and is in desperate need of a blood stem cell transplant to survive. He has no matched donors in his family and relies on the Be The Match registry to stay alive.

It only takes a simple cheek swab to join the registry. Temple is receiving countless blood and platelet transfusions, while waiting for his miracle transplant.

The blood drive takes place at the Magnolia Center, located on 650 Magnolia Boulevard, from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Due to the COVID-19 situation, supply and demand for blood is severely low. The NY Blood Center needs your help, now. Please call (516) 478 - 5262 for an appointment.

Appointments preferred, walk-ins will be permitted, if capacity allows.