A new American Red Cross Blood Donation Center opened on Halloween in East Norriton. Donors can donate whole blood or platelets to help save lives.
Anna Heleniak donates blood every 56 days and was excited to see a new place to donate in such a convenient location.
“It feels great because then I can keep on schedule. I’m excited to have someplace I can come, like on my lunch, or even before work.”
Anna says her dad was an “avid donor” and his example led her to give for the past 17 years.
Nakiesha Townsend is the supervisor at East Norriton. She started her career with the American Red Cross in 2008 as a phlebotomist. When asked how things were going on opening day she said, “I’m loving it! The donors have been coming through and they’ve been excited to be here.”
Someone in America needs blood every two seconds and it’s the blood on the shelves that helps save people in an emergency.
Andrea Copeland is a new employee with the Red Cross but she’s been working as a phlebotomist for 27 years. She said her favorite thing about being a blood collector is “helping people” and she had great things to say about the new East Norriton Blood Donation Center.
“It’s absolutely beautiful in here. I really really like it. It’s nice and bright. We have lots of room so it’s really nice.”
Sue Broeder shared Andrea’s excitement. She arrived at East Norriton to donate platelets, something she has done since 2006.
“I donate platelets as often as I can,” she said. “I love it here!”
Platelets are tiny cells in blood that form clots and stop bleeding and nearly half of all platelets that are donated go to cancer patients so they can receive lifesaving treatment. You can only donate platelets at blood donation centers.
Sharon DeBacco said she and her husband have been donating blood for decades and want to start donating platelets soon. She encourages her friends to donate and likes to see where her blood donations end up.
“I do get those emails from the Red Cross that tell you where it actually went, which is very nice to see. It kind of closes the loop and makes you want to do it again.” Sharon described the new donation site as “wonderful.”
The East Norriton Blood Donation Center is located in Northtowne Plaza at 2880 DeKalb Pike near the intersection of Germantown Pike and DeKalb Pike. It’s across from Suburban Community Hospital and a few doors down from TJ Maxx.
The hours are:
The center is closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday.
George Griffith has been donating blood for “four or five years” and said he liked the new center. He arrived on opening day to make a Power Red donation.
During a Power Red donation, red blood cells are separated from other blood components and the plasma and platelets are safely and comfortably returned to the donor.
“I’m used to donating at like a local police station or community center so this is great. It’s close,” he said.
Michelle Thomas-Moses is a collections specialist who does on the job training and has been with the Red Cross for more than 25 years.
“From all the donors I’ve talked to today they are so excited that they have something closer to home. It’s a wonderful thing,” she said.
Katrell Patterson is the Collections Manager for blood donation centers throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including East Norriton. She sees a bright future for blood donors at the center.
“They’re very excited. They love the look of the center and they plan to make this their home.”
The East Norriton Blood Donation Center is one of four new centers the Red Cross is building in Southeast Pennsylvania. The next one scheduled to open is in Langhorne later this year.
You can make an appointment to donate blood by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, using the Red Cross donor app or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS. That’s 1-800-733-2767.
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- Written by Jenny Farley
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