In an effort to increase hospital blood supplies in New Jersey, the Diocese of Camden, in partnership with the American Red Cross, has established the Diocese of Camden Blood Donor Campaign.
Most Reverend Joseph A. Galante, D.D., J.D.D., Bishop of Camden, has called on all 124 parishes in the six county diocese to host two blood drives per year.
“As someone who has benefited from donor blood, I strongly urge you to participate in this initiative to help provide blood for our local hospital patients,” he said in a letter to parish priests last month.
Due to a chronic blood shortage, hospital patients in New Jersey who require transfusions often receive blood donated by someone in another part of the country. In 2005, 74,000 units of blood were “imported” from other areas of the country to meet the needs of hospital patients in New Jersey.
Bishop Galante has named Martin Idler, diocesan Health Services and Long Term Care Facilities Director, as liaison for the Blood Donor Campaign. “We know how urgent the situation is and want call on the collective resources of our faith communities to alleviate the situation by giving blood and by volunteering to assist at the drives,” he said.
Idler is currently setting up appointments with the parishes in order for the campaign to get underway. “The key to its success is support of the pastor and the appointment of a local chair and committee,” he said.
Currently, about 30 parishes throughout the diocese host blood drives, and in some there are as many as 300 donations.