[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 2 (Thursday, January 6, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E15-E16]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL, THE NEW YORK BLOOD CENTER AND 
     THEIR OUTSTANDING PARTNERSHIP FOR LIFE-SAVING BLOOD DONATIONS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 6, 2011

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the New York 
Presbyterian Hospital and the New York Blood Center for their 
outstanding partnership to increase life-saving blood donations in our 
nation's greatest city. Thanks to donations from thousands of New 
Yorkers from all walks of life, this outstanding collaborative effort 
has helped provide nearly 14,000 blood donations over the past five 
years, representing an immeasurable contribution to saving and 
improving the quality of countless lives. The outstanding leadership of 
both Dr. Herbert Pardes, the Chief Executive Officer of New York 
Presbyterian Hospital, and Dr. Christopher Hillyer, the Chief Executive 
Officer of the New York Blood Center, have helped make this joint 
initiative so extraordinarily successful.
  Under the leadership of Dr. Pardes, New York Presbyterian Hospital 
has done a spectacular job of encouraging its employees to donate 
blood. As a result, it is the largest hospital donor group in New York 
City and the third largest donor group in Manhattan. The hospital has 
increased the number of donations it generates every year for at least 
a decade. Each pint donated saves three lives. Last year, it generated 
more than 3,500 donations through its various blood drives, saving more 
than 10,000 lives. And for the first five months of this year, 
donations are up 50% over the same period last year. Blood donated by 
New York Presbyterian Hospital is distributed by the Blood Center to 
more than 200 hospitals in the greater New York metropolitan area.
  Established in 1964, the New York Blood Center (NYBC) has become one 
of the nation's largest non-profit, community-based blood centers. For 
more than forty-five years, it has provided donated blood, transfusion 
products and services to nearly 200 hospitals in the New York/New 
Jersey metropolitan area. In 2009, the NYBC set a personal record after 
receiving nearly 3,500 blood donations. It is also home to the National 
Cord Blood Center, the world's largest public cord bank. The Cord Blood 
Center provides adults and children with life-threatening illnesses 
with stem cell transplants from unrelated donors.
  New York hospitals need a diverse range of blood donations to match 
the diverse nature of New York's population. With the help of the 
participation in blood drives of New York Presbyterian Hospital's 
diverse employee population, the Blood Center is able to ensure that 
local hospitals have blood available to serve patients with sickle cell 
anemia and other diseases that disproportionately affect minority 
communities.
  One of New York City's most respected health care institutions, New 
York Presbyterian Hospital is the product of a partnership that was 
formed in 1998 between The New York Hospital, founded in 1771, and The 
Presbyterian Hospital, founded in 1868. As a merged institution, New 
York Presbyterian Hospital has provided first rate medical care to 
untold numbers of New Yorkers. With two affiliated medical schools, New 
York Presbyterian is recognized as one of the greatest academic health 
centers in the world. With more than 13,000 employees and 2,298 patient 
beds, the hospital is ranked among America's best by U.S. News and 
World Report. It has centers of excellence in AIDS care, digestive 
diseases, gene therapy, preventive medicine, reproductive and fertility 
medicine, vascular medicine and others. The William Randolph Hearst 
Burn Center is the largest

[[Page E16]]

and busiest burn center in the country. New York Presbyterian is also 
the first hospital to establish special centers and programs for 
women's health.
  The most important reason for the success of New York Presbyterian 
Hospital's blood drive is the strong support of senior officials at the 
hospital. From the lowest clerk to Dr. Pardes himself, blood donation 
is part of the culture at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the New 
York Blood Center, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. Herbert Pardes 
and Dr. Christopher Hillyer for their enormous contributions to New 
York's health care system. Their collaboration has saved innumerable 
lives. New York Presbyterian Hospital and the New York Blood Center 
serve as a example of our nation's health care system at its best.

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