Salaam Alaikum,
The holy month of Muharram is a time of reflection and sacrifice. Centuries ago, the holy prophet’s grandson, Imam Hussain (a.s) and his faithful followers shed their blood in the way of Islam. On Sunday June 29th 2025, you too have the opportunity to use your blood to help someone somewhere. As we do every year, make a difference by donating a little of your time and a pint of your blood during our annual Muharram blood drive.
This year the blood donation drive will commence at 6:00pm through 10:30pm in the cafeteria. You are encouraged to signup ahead of time by using the link below:
Donor Portal – New York Blood Center
Some of the benefits of donating blood include knowing that you are helping someone in need. Blood is an essential component of our body and according to the New York blood center, over 4.5 million Americans receive blood transfusions every year. Over 40,000 pints of blood are transfused each day in the United States to save lives of cancer patients, accident, burn and trauma victims, newborn babies, mother delivering babies, transplant patients, surgery patients and countless others in need. Blood banks rely on the generosity of volunteer donors to fill this void in demand. You can click on the link below to find out more information regarding the importance of donating blood
Blood 101: What is Blood & Why it Matters – New York Blood Center (NYBC)
You may donate if you are at least 17 years old (16 years old with written consent from a parent of legal guardian – (EW-FRM-0015-rev-01-Parental-Consent-Permission-to-Donate-Blood-English.pdf), weight atleast 110 pounds and be in good health. Donors aged 76 and older need a physician’s letter. Additional information is available on the NY blood center website and can be accessed by clicking the link below;
Donor Eligibility – New York Blood Center (NYBC)
Please note that people returning from places where there is a risk of malaria are not eligible to donate for at least 12 months. This includes but is not limited to Saudi-Arabia (except if only visiting Medina / Mecca), Tanzania, Kenya, India and Pakistan. For a full list of Countries please review the link below:
Countries with Risk of Malaria
Please also review the below link to review other reasons you may not be eligible for donation.
Common Reasons People Can’t Donate – New York Blood Center (NYBC)
Please feel free to review the New York Blood Center website (Home Page – New York Blood Center (NYBC)) for more information as well,
Thanking you in advance for all your efforts,
Arif Dharsee
