Dear Parents:

There have been Blood Drives at OPHS since I was a student here in the 1980's. Now that I have been teaching here for the last 13 years, I am happy to continue this service to the public. Upstate New York Transplant Services, UNYTS, is the donor service we use here at OPHS.

I believe whole-heartedly in the blood and tissue donation program and do actively encourage age-appropriate students to give blood. Many lives are impacted and literally saved by the donations of our participation.  There are many facts and figures, stories of people whose lives depend on blood donations, and practical info at the UNYTS  website at: http://UNYTS.org

4% of the eligible population donates blood and 33% will need blood or blood product during their lifetime.  Please consider what you do to help others. The students I've seen over the years donate blood sincerely believe in what they are doing. It is a piece of themselves they give to help someone they'll never meet. I support them any way I can; personally, professionally, and during the donation process if they are a bit scared.

I want parents to know that if a student is at least 17 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds they may give blood on their own recognizance.  I encourage students to discuss this important decision with their parents but there is no consent required nor collected.  I also want students to know if they are considering this life-giving donation, they need to be truthful and honest in their pre-screening process. Failure to be completely honest puts the donor at possible risk and the donated blood pool to also be at risk. No one wants that to happen. There are several reasons to "defer" a possible donor. The donor has to be in good health, has not travelled to a country where malaria, CJD (Mad Cow), or other communicable disease is at high risk, had been pierced or tatooed with non-sterile equipment, or is participating in sporting events. Other deferments are possible but those aforementioned are the common ones for OP kids.

The first blood Drive will be here in September and there will be 4 more throughout the year every 9 weeks or so. Students who participate are required to have teacher permission to miss a class and are responsible for any class they may miss (similar to a field trip).

If anyone ever has a question about our process here at OPHS, contact me directly and I will help. If you have general questions about blood and/or tissue donation, contact UNYTS at:

Phone: 1-800-227-4771 or (716) 853-6667
Fax: (716) 853-6674

 Mailing Address:

Upstate New York Transplant Services, Inc.
110 Broadway
Buffalo, NY 14203

We are a generally healthy community and can give a donation to save lives that costs nothing except a little time.

Sincerest thanks to donors and future donors,

Adam Ziccardi
House 2 Math Teacher
209-6223
aziccardi@opschools.org