Cincinnati - The Jewish Hospital Blood and Marrow Transplant Program is holding its quarterly platelet drive, in conjunction with Hoxworth Blood Center, this Friday, Aug. 5 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at The Jewish Hospital, 4777 E. Galbraith Rd. in Kenwood. To make an appointment to donate, contact Karen Sovern at 513-686-5490 or Pam Harris at 513-686-5260.

Many cancer patients need platelet donations because often platelets (blood-clotting cells) are destroyed during chemotherapy. According to Hoxworth Blood Center, platelet donation can help more people than normal blood donation alone. One platelet donation gives six to eight times more platelets than a single blood donation.During the platelet donation process, the blood is removed and platelets are separated before the remainder of the blood is returned to the donor. The donor's body then replenishes its own platelets within 24 - 48 hours. Platelet donors are eligible to donate every two weeks. For more information about donating platelets, contact Hoxworth Blood Center at 513-451-0910 or visit www.hoxworth.org.

The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Jewish Hospital, the only adult transplant unit of its kind in the Tristate, began holding platelet drives in December 2003. To date, they have hosted seven platelet drives, bringing in more than 125 donors.

Hoxworth Blood Center needs to collect blood from 350 blood donors and 40 platelet donors each day to keep up with the needs of Tristate patients. Hoxworth, founded in 1938, serves 27 hospitals in 15 counties in Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana. Annually, Hoxworth collects more than 88,000 units of blood from local donors.

The Jewish Hospital is part of the Health Alliance, an integrated health care delivery system that also includes The Christ Hospital, The University Hospital, The St. Luke Hospitals, Fort Hamilton Hospital and the physicians of Alliance Primary Care. To view other Health Alliance news releases, go to www.health-alliance.com/pressroom.