Local Charity and County Legislator Help Save Lives During An Emergency Blood Shortage

Pt. Jefferson, NY – Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn and the local children’s charity, Friends of Karen, invite you to join a community blood drive at the Pt. Jefferson Village Hall in Pt. Jefferson Village on Monday, August 14, 2017, from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm to help replenish the community blood supply and potentially save lives.

“The best preparation for an unpredictable tragedy is having blood on hospital shelves in advance,” said the New York Blood Center, who declared a blood emergency this past June. Friends of Karen, who provides emotional, financial and advocacy support, at no cost, to families caring for a child with cancer or another life-threatening illness in the NY tri-state area, has helped so many families in the local community, and this blood drive is another opportunity to give back. Friends of Karen understands that when a tragedy or a life-threatening illness occurs, having invaluable resources like blood available can make a difference in a child’s life.

While schools are in recess and vacations are in full swing, the blood shortage grows. Together, Friends of Karen, Legislator Hahn, and the Pt. Jefferson community will rally to help stock the blood supply as well as bone marrow testing. As a bonus for donating blood, donors will receive two free vouchers for NY Mets Tickets. Walk-ins are welcome.

For more about Friends of Karen, visit www.friendsofkaren.org or call Rebecca Mowl at 631.473.1768 ext. 303.

For more information about the blood drive, or questions regarding eligibility, call (800) 688-0900.

Friends of Karen began in 1978 when one neighbor, Sheila Petersen, came to the aid of a couple and their daughter, Karen, who was terminally ill. A fund-raising campaign for medical and other costs enabled Karen to spend her precious last days at home surrounded by loving family and friends. 39 years later, Friends of Karen has expanded to a NY tri-state children’s charity that serves children from birth though age 21 who are diagnosed with cancer or another life-threatening illness. To date, nearly 15,000 children and their families have benefited from Friends of Karen’s services.