Nor'easter causes New York Blood Center to suffer 1,000 donation cancellations

Last weekend's storm did more than flood roads and disrupt travel. It also led to the cancellation of about 1,000 blood donations, adding to a difficult month for the New York Blood Center.

The center estimates it lost around 1,000 donations because people were unable to reach appointments or canceled because of potential flooding.

"Those are blood drives that are going to need to be rescheduled," said Javier Jimenez, an account manager at the center.

Even after the storm passed, donors continued showing up to help replenish the supply.

David Silberman, a regular donor, said his latest appointment marked 157 donations. Silberman said donating blood is a meaningful way to help someone he may never meet.

"It's the highest form of a mitzvah. I'm giving to someone. I don't know who's getting it, and they don't know who gave it," he said, adding he tries to go every two weeks.

But the storm is only part of the challenge. The center said September is on track to be its most difficult month for blood collections in 2026.

"With different holidays, also the U.N. General Assembly, there were different impacts to people being able to reach our donor centers or blood drives," Jimenez said.

The New York Blood Center supplies 150 hospitals across the Tri-State Area, and is currently about 2,700 donations short of what is needed regionally.

The shortage follows a difficult summer, when the center experienced several periods of critically low inventory.

"We did go into blood emergencies twice this summer, which has never happened before. World Cup, if Messi was playing, then nobody was donating. Also, with all the excitement with the Knicks championship and people again taking time off, we didn't see as many donors as we normally would during the summer," Jimenez said.

For some donors, the motivation is deeply personal.

Barbara Speregen said she began donating after seeing how much blood helped members of her family.

"My dad died of leukemia. He needed a lot of platelet transfusions. One of my brothers-in-law has a blood cancer. And a couple of years ago, my husband had what they call a retroperitoneal bleed, and he had to be transfused with six pints of blood. So I feel like I'm in debt to these folks because that blood just kept coming," she said.

Donated blood has a limited shelf life. Red blood cells can be stored for 42 days, while platelets last as few as five days.

"This is not something that can be manufactured in a factory," Jimenez said. "It has to come from people willing and able to volunteer to donate."

The center said replenishing the supply after the storm is one challenge, but maintaining a steady flow of donations remains an ongoing need.

To find out where to donate, visit NYBC.org.

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