At the New York Blood Center\u2019s 50th Anniversary Gala, Rafaello Carone took the stage at the Waldorf =Astoria dressed to the nines in a neatly pressed suit and blood-red shirt and tie. His appearance was all the more poignant since \u2014 but for blood donated by volunteers through NYBC \u2014 12-year-old Rafi wouldn\u2019t be alive. He survived leukemia with the help of 36 blood transfusions, and is now healthy and active.<\/p>\n
Rafi was joined by Ariel Fishman, a university professor who needed 70 units of blood after getting hit by a taxi, and Jaclyn Albanese, who received a cord blood transplant at age 15 to combat her leukemia. Jaclyn told the audience that she \u201cwould not be alive today if it weren\u2019t for the lifesaving work of the Blood Center.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHelping patients like Rafi and Ariel is what New York Blood Center has been about for 50 years,\u201d NYBC Chairman Howard P. Milstein said. \u201cThey are a living testament to the hard work of all the doctors, researchers, administrative staff, and volunteers who have made NYBC a singular New York institution.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIn recent decades, we\u2019ve seen our mission expand as new technologies open vast new opportunities to save lives through blood-related products,\u201d Mr. Milstein continued. \u201cWith innovative partnerships, cutting-edge research facilities, and the largest public cord blood bank in the world, NYBC is well-positioned to maintain its leadership role in the next half century and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n
The gala at New York\u2019s Waldorf=Astoria Hotel recognized three partnering organizations whose involvement has been critical to NYBC\u2019s success: MetLife, Johnson & Johnson and The City of New York. All three became inaugural inductees into NYBC\u2019s newly launched \u201cHall of Fame.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThese three organizations comprise the first class of inductees into our Hall of Fame for demonstrating exceptional commitment to our cause and a true passion for helping meet the critical blood needs of patients in our communities,\u201d said President and CEO Christopher D. Hillyer, M.D. \u201cThe countless number of individuals whose lives have been saved thanks to the combined efforts of our honorees and many other community and corporate partners are a true testimony to NYBC\u2019s success over the past 50 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to blood collection and distribution, NYBC is also home to the National Cord Blood Program at the Howard P. Milstein National Cord Blood Center, the world\u2019s largest public cord blood bank. The National Cord Blood Program has now provided 5,000 cord blood stem cell units for transplantation around the world.<\/p>\n
NYBC also provides extensive medical services at partner hospitals, distributes clotting factors to the hemophilia community, and operates a renowned research institute.<\/p>\n
As part of its anniversary celebration, NYBC also hosted a symposium at its New York headquarters entitled \u201cAdvancing the Future of Transfusion Medicine.\u201d Experts from Harvard Medical School, Children\u2019s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and New York Medical College joined their NYBC colleagues at the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor five decades, New York Blood Center has been at the forefront of transfusion medicine research,\u201d said NYBC Chief Medical Officer Beth Shaz, M.D. \u201cWe\u2019re proud of what\u2019s been accomplished here, not only the 25 million units of blood distributed to our hospital partners over five decades, but scientific advances that include solvent detergent technology to purify the blood supply and development of the Hepatitis B vaccine. As we enter our 50th year, this is both the perfect time and perfect place to examine what comes next.\u201d<\/p>\n
About New York Blood Center: New York Blood Center (NYBC) is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit, community-based blood centers. For 50 years, NYBC has been providing blood, transfusion products and services to hospitals serving more than 25 million people in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, New Jersey, and parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. NYBC is also home to the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute and the National Cord Blood Program at the Howard P. Milstein National Cord Blood Center, the world’s largest public cord blood bank. NYBC provides medical services and programs (Clinical, Transfusion, and Hemophilia Services) through our medical professionals along with consultative services in transfusion medicine.<\/em><\/p>\n SOURCE: New York Blood Center<\/p>\n Photos by Chris Herder Photography<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At the New York Blood Center\u2019s 50th Anniversary Gala, Rafaello Carone took the stage at the Waldorf =Astoria dressed to the nines in a neatly pressed suit and blood-red shirt and tie. His appearance was all the more poignant since \u2014 but for blood donated by volunteers through NYBC \u2014 12-year-old Rafi wouldn\u2019t be alive.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n