New York's Senator
CHARLES E. SCHUMER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 23, 2001

SCHUMER, YANKEES TEAM UP TO STRIKE OUT BLOOD SHORTAGE

Yankees give away 3,000 tickets to New York blood donors

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today joined forces with the New York Yankees to fight the severe blood shortage facing New York City. Standing on the field of historic Yankee Stadium, Schumer announced the start of a blood drive that will distribute 3,000 baseball tickets to the first 1,500 presenting donors at special New York Blood Center drives.

Two tickets for the August 15, 2001 New York Yankees - Tampa Bay Devil Rays game will be given to each presenting donor during special blood drives in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Westchester during the weekend of August 4-5. Donors are encouraged to call the New York Blood Center toll-free at 1-800-933-BLOOD, ext. 45 to find the location of the Yankee blood drive in their area.

"The Yankees are giving more than 3,000 tickets: they're inspiring thousands of New Yorkers to give the gift of life. New York desperately needs more blood donors, and this will make a big difference," Schumer said. "But this drive shouldn't stop with the first 1,500 donors. Whether or not you end up with tickets for the Yankees-Devil Rays game, I can't stress how vital it is for every New Yorker who can to please, please donate blood."

The joint Schumer-Yankees effort to increase awareness of the current blood emergency plaguing New York City comes in the wake of an advisory panel recommendation before the Food and Drug Administration to ban the importation of blood from Europe to avoid possible contamination by variant Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease, the human version of mad cow disease. This ban on "Euroblood" would cut New York City's blood supply by approximately 25%. In addition, people who traveled or lived in Britain for three months or more from 1980 to 1996, or spent five years in Europe since 1980 to today would also be declared ineligible to donate blood.

"Even though most people at some point will undergo surgery or require a procedure that involves a blood transfusion, just 2 percent of eligible New Yorkers donate blood," said Schumer. "And if we want to ensure we have the blood supply we need, we all have to do better."

Schumer was joined by Yankees players and Dr. Robert Jones, President and CEO of the New York Blood Center.

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