Tag Archives: Blood Donation

Diverse blood supply is more important than ever

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By Eilene E. Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the American Red Cross. And by extension, volunteers provide lifesaving blood and blood products to millions of people across the nation every year.

This chain of generosity begins at the local level, at an average of 500 blood drives and blood center collections every day. Last year, the Red Cross sent more than 6.3 million blood products to some 2,500 hospitals and other health care facilities.

But in the past two decades, the number of Red Cross blood donors has fallen by about 40%, with a significant drop among those between 16 and 22. As our national population ages and becomes more diverse, building the next generation of donors is critical.  

The University of Akron alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, a sorority of scores of African American women, is helping meet that need by sponsoring blood drives.

Earlier this month, their event netted 30 units of blood, which will go to treat as many as 90 patients.

Drives like these are vital to maintain a stable supply of blood for trauma victims, surgery and cancer patients, fragile newborns and those with medical conditions such as Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). This hereditary condition can be life threatening: It leads to anemia (shortage of red blood cells), causing fatigue, organ damage and periodic severe pain, known as a sickle cell crisis.

Blood transfusions from donors of the same or similar ethnicity and blood type are the most effective way to treat a sickle cell crisis. Since most people with SCD are of African descent, blood from Black donors is the gold standard for treatment. In fact, one in three African American blood donors is a match for a patient with sickle cell disease.

As a northern Ohio district manager for Red Cross blood services, Sabrina Spikes works to recruit and educate a larger, broader base of blood donors, including the Black and African American, Latino and LGBTQ+ communities.

“It’s a testament to the work of Delta Sigma Theta that they sponsor at the University of Akron,” she told me. “We need to have diverse partners, to do more education.”

Education is two-pronged:

  • Reaching more people from all racial and ethnic groups to explain the importance of a diverse blood supply. “We know the number one reason people don’t donate blood is that they haven’t been asked,” she said. “We need to explain why a diverse blood supply is important.”
  • Preparing potential donors to have a successful donation experience, by getting them to drink plenty of water and eat iron-rich foods. “Cutting down on caffeinated beverages that slow the absorption of iron – coffee, tea, sodas – helps cut the deferral rate of donors, especially African American women,” she explained.    

To learn more about why a diverse blood supply is so important, tap here. And, to find where you can donate and to make an appointment, go to redcrossblood.org. Someone needs you!

World Cancer Day: The power of platelets and other blood products

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By Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

I was just a small child when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. In fact, most of my childhood she was in remission. That is, until she wasn’t. I was 12 or 13 when it came back more aggressively. I was 16 when she eventually passed away.

Rosalie and Ryan Lang

Trips to the doctor’s office and hospital were commonplace throughout my early teen years. No one doctor visit really stood out. What did stand out were the times my father and my aunts and uncles went to donate platelets on behalf of my mother. I was young and naive and thought they were specifically for mom. I later realized they were donating to replenish the supply of platelets.

Due to their short shelf life, hospitals require a consistent supply of platelets. That’s why donors like my dad, aunts and uncles, and you are critical to helping the American Red Cross replenish that supply.

February 4 is World Cancer Day, a day that touches many of us who have either had the disease or know someone who has fought the tough battle against it. Almost two million new cases may occur this year, according to experts, and blood products will be important for many of these patients in their fight against cancer.

Blood is so important during their treatment that patients fighting cancer use nearly one quarter of the nation’s blood supply — more than patients fighting any other disease. The Red Cross asks you to schedule a time to donate blood now to help cancer patients and so many others.

CANCER PATIENTS NEED BLOOD — THE FACTS

  • One in three people will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime.
  • Many of these patients, especially those undergoing chemotherapy, will likely have a need for blood products.
  • In fact, about six blood products are needed every minute to help someone going through cancer treatment.
  • Low blood count is a major side effect of cancer treatment. Some types of chemotherapy can damage bone marrow, reducing red blood cell and platelet production and putting a person at risk for life-threatening infections or bleeding.
  • The cancer itself can cause the need for blood and platelet transfusions by causing internal bleeding or preventing the patient’s body from producing blood cells.
Grady, Krista, Ed, and Dylan Fink

My friend Dylan and his family know the importance of blood and platelet donors. At just 14- years-old, Dylan was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He’s in remission now, but that hasn’t stopped him and his family from paying it forward and organizing their own blood drives through the Red Cross.

Some cancer patients require more blood products than others. That was the case with Casey, who discovered she had cancer when she was ten weeks pregnant. She said, “Giving blood helps not just the person receiving it, by helping with their disease, but it truly helps that person’s family and friends as well.”

To find out more about donating platelets, click here. And, to schedule your appointment to give blood, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or download the free Red Cross Blood App.

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Local teacher inspires students to give the gift of life through blood donations

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By Kathryn Dean, American Red Cross volunteer

It’s already nearing mid-December and with the holiday season in full swing, the spirit of giving is on many of our hearts and minds. As we grow older, we learn to appreciate the fulfillment that giving to others brings. This year, as we consider ways to give back, either through gifts, service, or charity, let’s remember one other significant way that we can help – by giving the gift of life through blood donations.

Merrylou Windhorst and St. Vincent – St. Mary High school teacher Heidi Tripp

Merrylou Windhorst knows the importance of giving back to the community. She has been doing it throughout her almost 80 years of life (she’ll reach her milestone birthday on Christmas day this year).As a teacher at St. Vincent – St. Mary High School (St. V’s) in Akron and now as a volunteer for the last 50 years, Merrylou has been mentoring students and organizing blood drives through the American Red Cross, giving back to the community that she loves.

Merrylou started out as a student at Our Lady of Elms Catholic school. After graduation, she stayed on as religious sister at the Elms for 11 years before feeling called to do something else. That something else was to become a mother and a teacher, and thus starting her work at St. V’s. During her tenure, she worked as a health and physical education teacher, as well as teaching theology and coaching softball.

Her interest in health and well-being led her to start a program at St. V’s about 40 years ago that she still leads and is still going strong today, the Future Medics program. Recently she has expanded the program to include students from her alma mater, Our Lady of the Elms. In it, students who have an interest in the medical field meet up once a month and learn about career options and hear from alumni who have found success in medicine. Students also help to run three blood drives per school year, something that she brought to the school over 20 years ago.

“As a teacher I’ve always said ‘don’t just think of yourself as a ME, turn the M upside down and it becomes a W, becomes WE’… and that’s kind of what I have done as a teacher and especially at Future Medics and at blood drives. It’s time to give to other people.”

High school students who are 16, with a parent’s permission, can donate blood. Students can also volunteer to work at the blood drives. Either way, they earn service hours for graduation, an important part of the culture at St. V’s. Merrylou is so proud of her students and their willingness to go above and beyond for their community.

“I’m always honored and amazed at these young people at age 16, and it’s gotta be scary to roll up their sleeve and give blood.”

She said with the students help, they often make or exceed their donation goals. Their next blood drive is scheduled for Jan. 22 at the school and is open to the public.

“You think about, when can you save a life? How can we ever in our life, other when you stop and give CPR to somebody on the side of the road, who can say, ‘I’ve saved lives?’”

Recently Merrylou received recognition from the Red Cross for her over 20 years of service in organizing blood drives.

If you’re considering donating and giving the gift of life this holiday season, join us at the annual holiday blood drive at the Sheraton Suites in Cuyahoga Falls on Dec. 17 from 7am-7pm. There will be refreshments and raffles all day, and all donors will receive a free, long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt!

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Will you be there for patients in need?

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By Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Look at me! I’m a blood donor, could I be wearing any more clothes?!

Ryan Lang, Blood Donor and Friends enthusiast

The short answer: yes! I could have a fun pair of “Friends” socks courtesy of the American Red Cross when I donate blood over the next few weeks.

To celebrate 30 years of the iconic TV show “Friends,” the Red Cross is asking donors to grab their bestie and make donating blood a holiday tradition. Those who come to give now through December 8th, 2024, will receive two pairs of custom “Friends” + Red Cross socks, while supplies last – one to keep and one to give to a friend.

Friends x Red Cross socks

Everything’s better with friends, especially giving lifesaving blood. Not only does it strengthen the bond of friendship, but it also doubles the impact in the community.

A couple of things to remember before donating:

  • Sleep! Whether that’s taking a great nap with your friend, a la Joey and Ross in “The One with the Nap Partners,” or a good night’s sleep in your own bed, be sure and rest up.
  • Hydrate! And we’re not talking about a latte at Central Perk. Water is essential. Plan on drinking an extra 16 ounces of H20 the day of your donation.
  • Eat! Iron rich foods are recommended, like eggs, meat, spinach, and more. Remember, Joey doesn’t share food, and you shouldn’t either – not on donation day.

So grab a friend and visit redcrossblood.org to schedule your donation appointment today! And if you download the Red Cross Blood Donor app, you and your friend can track where your donation goes through the “blood journey” feature.

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Scholarship winner is blood donor advocate and community service role model

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By Tim Poe, American Red Cross volunteer

The American Red Cross grants Sickle Cell Fighter High School Scholarships to the nation’s top 10 high schools that host at least one blood drive and collect the most productive units from donors who self-identify as African American. One of the 2023-2024 recipients is Charles F. Brush High School in Lyndhurst, and their scholarship recipient is Meredith Davis-Cooper.

Meredith Davis-Cooper

Meredith graduated from Brush High School in 2024 and is now studying architecture at Kent State University. She graciously took time from her busy schedule to speak with me.

I asked Meredith how she became so active in community service. It began with her family, which is involved with several committees, church and worship groups, and counseling. This continued at Brush High School and the National Honor Society (NHS), as community involvement is a major initiative with both organizations. In addition to blood drives, Meredith and other students held several food drives last year.

“I’m always open to the community,” Meredith said. “I love staying involved. It brings me joy.” She has also learned she is quite adept at it.

Meredith’s skill in assisting community efforts was clearly seen with Brush’s three blood drives last school year. As the school’s National Honor Society president, she helped recruit and schedule students and donated blood herself.

I asked Meredith how she was so effective convincing others to become blood donors. She said knowing Red Cross facts helped, especially the critical need for blood donations in the African American community to help fight sickle cell disease. And her status as NHS president, a top 10 student, artist, and athlete were key. Meredith said her leadership and ability to fit in everywhere garnered trust and helped her persuade others to donate.

Meredith’s former NHS adviser, Mrs. Jill Strainic, concurs. She said, “It helps to have a role model like Meredith on our recruiting team. She’s an excellent student and leader, but by stepping up and donating blood herself, she takes ownership and is a great ambassador for the process. Meredith also brings this amazing sense of enthusiasm and confidence to everything she does. When she talks, students listen.”

In addition to her studies, Meredith works as a volleyball coach. She played volleyball in high school and competed in swimming, shot put, and discus. She is also an accomplished artist, creating abstract sculptures, some of which have won Gold Key awards and honorable mentions from the Cleveland Institute of Art. Meredith said art is how she developed her interest in architecture.

While Meredith is just getting settled in at Kent State and her demanding major, she plans to continue helping the community and donating blood, whether in Kent or at home. She also hopes to play or referee volleyball next year, and would like to study architecture abroad.

After graduating, Meredith hopes to eventually have her own firm and create innovative, striking buildings. She is especially inspired by Zaha Hadid’s work.

Meredith is extremely grateful for the Sickle Cell Fighter scholarship. She said she had been stressed about paying for college, and the award was a “shocking surprise.” It helped “seal the deal” so she could begin her university studies and prepare for her future.

The Red Cross is currently offering sickle cell trait screening for donors who self-identify as Black or African American. To schedule a blood donation, please visit redcrossblood.org.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Sonata in B Positive (B+)

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A blood donor story told in the spirit of film noir

By Tim Poe, American Red Cross volunteer

Tim Poe, Red Cross volunteer and blood donor

I shut off the car’s engine and reached for the bottle. This was the place. Looking at the glass and sandstone medical building bristling in the late-July afternoon, I unscrewed the cap and took a long swig. This wasn’t some liver-pummeling swill, though, nor even a dainty-derby aperitif. It was the good stuff: water, straight from the tap. I knew I’d need it; they’d told me so. They also told me to get a good night’s sleep, but the ghosts of nexuses past, present, and future rattling chains at bebop tempo in my brain had other ideas. But I had slept some, had drank plenty of water, and was here to do some good. I stepped out of my dented ride and gazed at a sky blue enough to make Monet weep. But today’s theme was red. I headed toward the building, prepared to lose some blood.

I had plenty, after all, and others needed it. Today I was a blood donor.

Cots, computers, snacks, beverages, people bustling, many wearing shades of red. I’d found the room. A Blood Donor Ambassador welcomed me with a smile and scanned the fuzzy square on my phone. I had completed the RapidPass that morning.

The two donors preceding me said they always gave together, as often as possible. O negatives, universal donors. Today they were donating whole blood. Next time, Power Red. These two were cool. I was humbled, in the presence of greatness.

Another groovy person called me over, verified the information I had provided earlier, asked a few more questions, checked vitals, and drew blood to check my iron, a large drop of crimson emerging from a finger. My mind wandered from iron to the irony of my blood type, which sounded like a happiness mantra: “Be positive.” Better suited for a life coach or morning weather reporter, not a mug who’d spent his formative years breathing blue notes through saxophones followed by a lifetime thinking of novel ways to describe dusks, dawns, dramas, drunks, and dreams.

My mental meanderings paused; time to get on a cot. Even in summer, I’m pale, nearly translucent with easily visible veins, a phlebotomist’s joy. A groovetastic phlebotomist in a cerise shirt handed me a squeezy then worked a scanner, tubing, bags, and swabs with the deftness of Bill Evans pressing piano keys into song. The scent of iodine sent a jumbled reel of hospital memories rolling through my mind. But those were times of need. Now to give, help someone going through something similar. I wondered if that someone’s personality matched “be positive.”

The needle. A pinch, the frosty tubing turned garnet as my blood flowed into unseen bags below. I resisted the urge to peer over at them, instead squeezing the foam every few seconds, my other hand with the phone, taking a photo, then scrolling in hope of finding some good news.

Soon came beeps and the return of the phlebotomist. With a flurry of clips, tubes, samples, cotton, and a candy red bandage wrap, I was done. I stood up, walked to the snack table, selected a blueberry granola bar, a bottle of spring water, and awaited the slight light- headedness to subside.

Shortly later I walked back down the hall, proudly wearing my bandaged arm, greeting others, possibly with a little “be positive” swagger. Because today, I did some good. Today, I was a blood donor.

Posted by Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

Lifting of restrictions opens window for new blood donors

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One-year anniversary of blanket deferral that prevented blood donations

By Kathryn Dean, American Red Cross volunteer

If you’ve ever attended a blood drive in the past and were turned away due to a deferral, there has never been a better time to reassess your eligibility. Over the past two years, two important deferrals that have been in place since the 1980s have been modified or lifted, increasing the ever-needed pool of eligible blood donors.

In 1986, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, colloquially known as “Mad Cow Disease,” was discovered in cattle in the United Kingdom. This disease was found to be transmissible to humans if infected meat was eaten and caused a number of illnesses, including a variant of Cruetzfeld-Jakob disease (vCJD), a degenerative, fatal disease that affects the central nervous system of the host.

U.S. Air Force veteran John Dowell of Lakewood  gave blood after the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob
(mad cow) Disease deferral was lifted.

Due to this, during the 1980’s and 90’s the Food and Drug Administration restricted people who had visited certain European countries from donating blood in the United States in an effort to prevent the transmission of vCJD. The American Red Cross honored this ban, which remained in place until 2022 when it was removed after a steep decline in reported cases and no signs of a second wave.

Additionally, in 2023 a second long-standing deferral that restricted gay and bisexual men from donating was modified to remove the blanket deferral and instead assess people on a case-by-case basis. This deferral was originally created in an attempt to curb the spread of HIV, which became an epidemic in the 1980s.

Red Cross worker and volunteer, Mark Fleischer

Both of these deferrals affected long-time Red Cross worker and volunteer, Mark Fleischer, who was able to donate blood for the first time in decades back in January of this year. You can read his story HERE and learn of his great pride in being able to donate again after years of ineligibility.

When I spoke to him back in January, he indicated that not only was he previously affected by the deferrals placed on gay men, but because of his brief time living in England back in 1992 and because of fears surrounding Mad Cow disease, he had been told he was ineligible to donate for life. Now all of that has changed with the recent modifications to blood donor eligibility requirements.

Mark Fleischer and phlebotomist Ed Leonardi

In an update since his January 2024 donation, Mark told me that he has helped organize and has participated in many successful blood drives at the Willoughby Senior Center, some of which have exceeded their goal for blood donations. He is also personally scheduled to donate blood again at the end of this month.

“Recruiting for blood donors is in full force and things are going great,” he said. He also previously told me, “You may have been deferred decades ago for something that may no longer be in place. So I want to encourage people to look at the questions that the Red Cross asks (and) look at the deferred list…those deferrals or restrictions may have been lifted.”

Mark Fleischer and Red Cross staff at blood drive

Check out the Red Cross Give Blood page to learn more about eligibility requirements, and to find a local blood drive near you.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

Posted by Ryan Lang, American Red Cross board member and volunteer

First-time blood donor leads efforts to increase donations to aid those with sickle cell disease

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By Eilene E. Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

When Dr. LaTrice Snodgrass puts her mind to a project, she goes all in.

Recently, she partnered with the American Red Cross and others to stage a blood drive targeted at the Black community, to benefit people living with sickle cell disease (SCD).

Dr. LaTrice Snodgrass and Kim Kroh, executive director of the Heartland, Stark and Muskingam Lakes chapter of the Red Cross

Not only did she spearhead the event, she literally rolled up her sleeve to donate blood – for the first time.

Through this donation, LaTrice learned that her blood is negative for three components, which makes her an ideal SCD donor. Blood transfusions from donors like LaTrice are vital to let SCD patients live comfortable, healthy lives.

LaTrice knows the importance of blood donations from her own racial community. More than 100,000 Americans — mostly African Americans — have sickle cell disease, which causes acute pain and over time damages vital organs. Her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, put out a national call to boost donations from African Americans. “I told my sisters, we need to do this,” she said.

“I know there is a resistance in the Black community to trusting the medical establishment, but we have to overcome that. Our blood is truly lifesaving.” she said, explaining her decision to give blood for the first time, despite not being enthusiastic about needles.

SCD is an inherited condition that distorts soft, round red blood cells, turning them hard and crescent shaped. As a result, blood can’t flow smoothly to carry oxygen throughout the body, causing fatigue, severe pain, tissue and organ damage and even strokes.

Kim Kroh, executive director of the Heartland, Stark and Muskingam Lakes chapter of the Red Cross, was delighted to support LaTrice’s initiative. The project soon recruited the Strong Family Wellness Weekend, sponsored by Sean and Shaheedrah Strong, as well as the Black Nurses Association, Akron Children’s Hospital and Beacon Charitable Pharmacy, where LaTrice serves as CEO.

The drive at the Canton Civic Center exceeded its collection goal and, importantly, involved a lot of first-time donors.

“When the time comes for me to donate again, I plan to. And I’m going to reach out to my sorority sisters and friends to remind them that they need to donate again too,” she said.

Kim Kroh from the Red Cross, who has been giving blood for years, was on hand to support LaTrice through her first “poke.”

“I have a passion for (the cause of) sickle cell,” Kim said. “I know a teenager with sickle cell. What they go through is just terrible.”

The Red Cross supplies some 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply and launched a specific Sickle Cell Initiative three years ago to boost blood collection for this set of recipients.

Although Kim’s blood isn’t uniquely beneficial for SCD patients, it’s also vital: Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood, to deal with complications of childbirth, treatment for cancer, surgery or emergency room trauma.

To learn more about SCD or to make an appointment to donate blood, visit RedCrossBlood.org, use the free Blood Donor App or call 1-800-REDCROSS.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Recognizing blood donors on World Blood Donor Day

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Increased need for donors during summer months

By Eilene E. Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

Why in the world would anybody willingly roll up a sleeve and take a needle jab, to give up a bag of precious blood?

“My mother, she gave I don’t know how many gallons,” one donor recently told me. This middle-aged daughter was honoring her late mother’s example of generosity.

Eilene E. Guy, Red Cross volunteer and blood donor

“Back in 1970, a friend of mine was going to have surgery, so I went to Cleveland to donate for him,” another donor recalled. With his donation the day we talked, that man was approaching his 35-gallon mark!

On this, World Blood Donor Day, the American Red Cross salutes the estimated 6.8 million people in the U.S. who donate blood. That yields about 13.6 million units (a “unit” of blood is about one pint) of whole blood and red blood cells a year.

That’s a whole lot of blood!

But consider: Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood or platelets. That amounts to some 29,000 units of red blood cells every day.

And this isn’t an option. Blood is saving the lives of critically injured emergency room patients, mothers and newborns experiencing complications of childbirth and folks having surgery. It’s sustaining hundreds of thousands of people undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer and tens of thousands who rely on blood transfusions to cope with the effects of sickle cell disease.

We’re fortunate to live in an age of modern medicine, but one challenge remains: There’s no way to “manufacture” blood.

So until that magic day, it’s a measure of our humanity that so many donors step forward to save the lives of others – in most cases, people they’ll never know.

The fact is, only about 3% of age-eligible people donate blood every year. That often leaves the supply agonizingly short. Over the last month, for example, the Red Cross collected about 20,000 fewer units of blood than needed to maintain a safe and stable national blood supply.

That’s worrisome, because blood donations typically drop during the summer months. At the same time, the need doesn’t stop.

Which brings us back to the source, blood donors.

I know from personal experience that it takes about an hour to go through the whole process: Screening to be sure I’m healthy and don’t have any disqualifications (The U.S. Food and Drug Administration decides what that would be, such as exposure to communicable diseases like malaria, or recent tattoos or piercings.); donating; and recovery (Water, juice and snacks are encouraged to jump-start the body’s replacement of the blood removed.)

You don’t need to know your blood type to make a blood donation. And if you think you’ve been disqualified, give it another try: You, or the rules, may have changed.

You can schedule your blood donation by using the free Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). 

On this World Blood Donor Day and every day, “bravo” to those who make the choice to save or sustain a life.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Give blood and get a free Cedar Point ticket

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By Samantha Pudelski, American Red Cross volunteer

It’s almost summer, which means lots of time at the pool, summer barbeques, vacations and trips to Cedar Point. It’s also when blood donations tend to decline, as donors are busy with all of their summer activities. Unfortunately, the need for blood is constant in our community and across the country, and we need donors like you to help ensure those who need blood are able to receive it.

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. This includes accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients and those battling cancer.

This summer, the American Red Cross and Cedar Fair theme parks are teaming up again to encourage donors to help save lives this summer. All you need to do is donate blood at select blood drives through August 1st and you’ll receive a free Cedar Point ticket.*

To find a Cedar Point blood drive near you and schedule an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter sponsor code “CEDARPOINT”. Appointments for these blood drives are highly encouraged.**

*All those who come to donate at select blood drives will receive one free ticket, valid for entry to Cedar Point, while supplies last. Tickets are valid during the 2024 season and other restrictions may apply. Check park website for information on capacity, open dates and hours.

**Donors without appointments are not guaranteed a Cedar Point ticket, as
supplies are limited.

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer