Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, recently honored former State Senator Christopher “Kip” Bateman as the hospital’s largest blood donor. Since 1980, Senator Bateman has donated more than 32 gallons of blood at the hospital, which was used to help more than 520 individuals in our community. Since 2017, he has also hosted community blood drives to support the hospital’s Blood Donor Program.
In a brief ceremony, Somerset Health Care Foundation unveiled a plaque in Senator Bateman’s honor which is permanently displayed outside the hospital’s Blood Donor Room.
“Senator Bateman’s dedication to our Blood Donor Program is simply extraordinary,” said Deirdre Blaus, Interim Chief Administrative Officer, RWJUH Somerset. “Faithfully donating blood every few months for over four decades, he provided life-saving gifts to patients in critical need. We hope that his example inspires others to become blood donors as a way to give back to our community.”
One of only a few hospital-run programs of its kind in the state, RWJUH Somerset’s Blood Donor Program relies on the support of volunteer blood donors to provide most of the blood used annually at the hospital. Blood is used for cancer treatments and may be needed by patients following surgery, childbirth or a traumatic event which has caused serious injuries, such as a car accident.
RWJUH Somerset’s Blood Donor Program offers appointments Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Blood donors must be at least 16 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in general good health.
To schedule an appointment, please call the RWJUH Somerset Blood Donor Program at 908-685-2926 or visit www.rwjuhdonorclub.org.