Tag Archives: Blood

Gift giving made simple: donate blood this Holiday Season

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By Tim Poe, American Red Cross volunteer

Editor’s note: This post has been updated with information on current donor incentives

Blood. It’s red, deep red, like a worldview when tediousness and life drama build and become epic. It’s also lifegiving, sustaining, and needed. Most of us only feel we need such a boost on occasion, but others—including trauma, leukemia, and kidney disease patients, those experiencing childbirth emergencies, and more—truly need it to keep living, right away.

And you know what? You have blood! Lots of it! About 1.5 gallons, just waiting to help. Even a paper cut will remind you it’s there. Yet a lot of people will need blood today, tomorrow, and next week. On average, someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds. So, schedule a time to donate some. You’ll feel good about yourself, get a cookie and juice, bring much needed light to the world (metaphorically), and potentially save a life (literally).

Thanks to Prime Video and their new film Candy Cane Lane, those who come to give now through Dec. 31 will automatically be entered for a chance to win a $1,000 Amazon.com Gift Card and a 65-inch Omni QLED Series Amazon Fire TV. (Details at RedCrossBlood.org/Amazon). In thanks for giving, we’re also offering a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email for those who come to give Dec. 1-17, and a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt Dec. 18-Jan. 5, while supplies last.

Did you know we decorate with red during the giving season because donating blood is among the greatest gifts of all? Okay, I made that up, but I like it and am sticking with it.

However awesome you believe yourself to be, you can be even more so. Just with a little less blood for a very short time. Your body will quickly make more; and remember, you have around a gallon and a half of the stuff. They won’t take anywhere near that much. Promise.

To take part in this much needed awesomeness and giving spirit, visit redcrossblood.org or download the free app. Here are the season’s blood drives in our area, where you’ll be among other fantastic, giving people, like Eilene, Don, and Doug.

Holiday Blood Drive, Sheraton Suites Akron/Cuyahoga Falls, 2022

American Red Cross Northern Ohio 2023 Holiday Blood Drives

December 12, 2023
Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
1 Center Court
Cleveland, OH 44115
8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Make an appointment today!

December 15, 2023
Crocker Park
239 Market Street
Westlake, OH 44145
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Make an appointment today!

December 19, 2023
Sheraton Suites Akron/Cuyahoga Falls
1989 Front St.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221
7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Make an appointment today!

December 20, 2023
Hilton Garden Inn
8971 Wilcox Drive
Twinsburg, OH 44087
7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Make an appointment today!

December 21, 2023
Packard Music Hall
1703 Mahoning Ave.
Warren, OH 44483
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Make an appointment today!

December 21, 2023
WNWO Holiday Blood Drive
Hilton Garden Inn Perrysburg
6165 Levis Commons Blvd.
Perrysburg, OH 43551
8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Make an appointment today!

December 22, 2023
Stambaugh Auditorium
1000 Fifth Ave.
Youngstown, OH 44504
Make an appointment today!

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Cleveland Clinic blood drive hits milestone

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3,000 donations made since 2019

Hundreds of Cleveland Clinic employees pass through the lower-level atrium in the Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute every day. Institute Communications Manager Gary Weiland saw the space as an ideal place to hold American Red Cross blood drives. The first one was held in April of 2019.

Dr. Zaher Otrock and Sheri Bova of Cleveland Clinic,, Jill Trupo and Bonnie Flenner of the Red Cross, and, Gary Weiland of Cleveland Clinic

Less than a year later, the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Many businesses and schools that had been used regularly for blood drives before the pandemic were shuttered, severely reducing the number of blood drives – and the number of blood donations – causing a nationwide blood shortage.

But Cleveland Clinic did not – COULD not – close, and with a robust health care workforce passing through the atrium every day, there was plenty of opportunity to collect much-needed blood in that space.

“At first it was quarterly,” Gary said of the blood drives being held there. “But when COVID hit, we began to schedule them every two weeks.”

“We can’t overemphasize the value of having Cleveland Clinic as a site for frequent blood drives,” said Bonnie Flenner, Regional Donor Services Executive for the Red Cross of Northern Ohio. “We are so grateful for their partnership, especially during the pandemic. It has truly made a difference in the lives of so many patients.”

Since that first blood drive in 2019, more than 3,000 donations of blood have been collected, a milestone recently celebrated when Cleveland Clinic research coordinator Brandon Blake became the donor from whom the 3,000th donation was collected.

Brandon Blake, Cleveland Clinic Research Coordinator made the 3,000th donation

“I was shocked,” Brandon said upon learning of the milestone. “It’s like a baseball player getting his 3,000th hit. It’s pretty special.”

Brandon said he donates blood because it makes a difference. Dr. Zaher Otrock, head of Transfusion Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, couldn’t agree more.

“People with cancer and so many other conditions could not be treated without the blood they need to have every day,” he said.

The Red Cross collections staff working at the blood drive that day included Shacriea Bost, Kary Conley, Makayla Williams, Devyn Mills and Alexis Bell. They posed for a photo, surrounding a sign created to mark the milestone event.

Red Cross phlebotomists Alexis Bell and Kary Conley

And donors that day got a special treat – beyond the cookies, snacks and juice boxes that are typically available following a blood donation. They were offered a piece of cake as well, also created to help celebrate the 3,000 th donation made at that blood drive site.

Companies, churches, civic groups and others interested in hosting a blood drive – or multiple blood drives – can learn more by visiting redcrossblood.org.

See more photos from the 3000th blood donation here.

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross volunteer and board member

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Shedding light on Sickle Cell Disease

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By Eilene E. Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

Sickle Cell Disease is hiding in plain sight, and La’Shardae Scott is determined to bring it into the spotlight.

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most common genetic blood disorder in the United States, afflicting some 100,000 people, primarily those of African descent. Every year, an estimated 1,000 babies are born with SCD.

During September, Sickle Cell Awareness Month, the American Red Cross is teaming up with SCD crusaders like La’Shardae to bring attention to this painful and life-threatening disorder.

The Scott Family: Eric, La’Shardae, Emory, Evan, Eric and Liam

La’Shardae has launched the nonprofit Scott Center for Observation, Treatment and Transition in Oregon, Ohio, to minimize infant mortality in populations of color and help families and individuals with SCD transition successfully from pediatric to adult care.

She’s well aware that people of color have a fraught history with the medical establishment, which leads to poor doctor-patient relationships. Even today, misconceptions persist about Black people’s tolerance for pain.

“Patients born with this condition don’t look ill; they learn to manage their pain, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t real,” she said. “So when they finally seek help, they get dismissed as drug-seeking and that leads to further complications.”

Screening of newborns for SCD is now routine in all 50 states, but too often parents — confronted with the sudden notice that their baby has an incurable condition — don’t know how to handle that reality as the child grows, La’Shardae said.

At her house, she relies on medications, appropriate diet and “hydration, hydration, hydration” to keep her two SCD “warriors,” eight-year-old Emory and Evan, 7, thriving. At the same time, she advocates for them when they experience the acute pain and other side effects typical of SCD. But she knows the damaging effects accumulate.

SCD causes red blood cells to take the shape of crescent moons or sickles. These misshapen cells don’t carry their full load of oxygen throughout the body, leading to anemia, pain “crises” and gradual damage to organs and tissues. Worse yet, the sickled cells tend to clump together, causing strokes.

Transfusions play a key role in “diluting” these defective cells in the blood stream, easing pain and slowing damage. Blood from one in three African American donors carries unique characteristics — antigens — that make it a close match for SCD patients.

This is where the Red Cross comes in. As supplier of more than 40% of the nation’s whole blood and blood products, the Red Cross needs a diverse donor population to meet the many unique transfusion needs.

Since launching its Sickle Cell Initiative in 2021, the Red Cross has seen a 60% increase in first- time African American blood donors to more than 45,000.

La’Shardae is working hard to boost that number. She uses social media platforms, Facebook Live and community presentations to educate and recruit. You can read all about her activities at scottcenteroh.org.

Her next event is the Scott Community Blood Drive in partnership with the Red Cross, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 16 at 653 Miami St. in Toledo.

To register to give blood, go to redcrossblood.org, call 1-800-REDCROSS or use the free Red Cross blood donor app.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Posted by Ryan Lang, Red Cross board member and volunteer

Help stop the bleed to save a life

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By Sam Puldeski, American Red Cross volunteer

Did you know that someone with a serious injury can experience life-threatening blood loss within as little as five minutes? When someone is injured and severely bleeding, it is imperative that bystanders help to quickly stop the blood loss.

The American Red Cross has some tips and information to follow if someone around you is experiencing a life-threatening loss of blood.

  • A half can of soda is the approximate amount of blood loss that is life
    threatening in an adult. For children and infants, the amount is
    proportionately less.
  • If blood is flowing continuously, squirting or pooling, take action
    immediately with these steps.
    a. Call 911.
    b. Ask someone to find a bleeding control kit, which should include
    items like gloves, gauze and a tourniquet.
    c. Apply the tourniquet and wait for the medical professionals to arrive.
    – If the injury is in on the head or torso, apply direct pressure
    with your hands or knee using gloves if they are available.
  • If you don’t have a medical tourniquet on hand, apply direct pressure with
    your hands or knee. Research has shown that homemade or improvised
    tourniquets don’t work. It is recommended to use manufactured tourniquets
    over homemade options.

It’s important for everyone to know how to respond in these types of emergencies should they ever be in a situation when someone needs help. The Red Cross offers classes to help teach people of all ages how to respond in an emergency. Some classes offer online instruction while other classes can be found at a location near you.

You can sign up for a class (or two!) by visiting: https://www.redcross.org/local/ohio/take-a-class.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

Giving blood gives time to those fighting cancer

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By Sue Wilson, American Red Cross volunteer

February 4, 2021- If you or someone you love have gone through a health scare of any kind, you know firsthand how your perspective changes in the blink of an eye. When my husband got his cancer diagnosis, we were shocked. We thought there was a simple explanation for his symptoms. We thought the biopsy was a routine test they were doing along with some others. We were in a state of disbelief when the doctor said that not only was it cancer, but it was advanced. He died a year later.

Cancer has a way of making time an all-consuming obsession. The realization that every minute is important, every day should be cherished, and that time is a precious commodity is never far from my thoughts. 

When you think about fighting cancer, the first thing you may think of is chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. What so many don’t realize is that many cancer patients undergoing chemo will likely have a need for blood. In fact, five units of blood are needed every minute to help someone going through cancer treatment. Patients fighting cancer use nearly one quarter of the nation’s blood supply – more than patients fighting any other disease. And, yet, only 3% of people in the U.S. regularly donate blood.

You may not have put the two together before but giving blood can help patients fight cancer. There simply aren’t enough people regularly donating blood to meet the ongoing need. That’s the message the American Red Cross wants to spread.

We know that not everyone is eligible to donate blood, so a financial donation is also encouraged. By making a financial gift in any amount, you’re helping to give patients and their families time, resources and the hope they need to fight back.

My grief had me vacillating between a depressive despair that made me want to do nothing and a manic desire to do anything and everything to help others who were suffering. But I didn’t know where to start. Donating blood is a start. It’s a meaningful way to honor someone you love who is battling or has battled cancer. To learn more and to schedule a blood donation appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org.

To make a financial gift, visit redcross.org/donate.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteers

Help family, friends and neighbors by becoming a Red Cross Volunteer Transportation Specialist

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By Chris Chmura, American Red Cross volunteer

September 21, 2020- We are all living in a new world with daily changes, challenges and a different pace in our professional and personal lives. Everyone has been pushed to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One glaring fact is that millions of people have had their lives transformed into a daily struggle for life’s basic needs of food, shelter and, most importantly, their health. I have learned a deeper appreciation for these basic needs.

Chris Chmura

For years, I have donated blood to the American Red Cross to help others in need, feel like I was giving back and to follow my father’s lead with his years of donations. I wondered how I could increase my support by stepping into a more active role. I signed up to become a volunteer transportation specialist. 

Why this role? 

The Red Cross has many options for you to volunteer your time but the transportation specialist fit into my personal and professional schedule. Plus the position is fun! I enjoy going into various hospitals/labs, traveling throughout the city and working with people who are making a huge difference in millions of lives. My professional role is in the business world. So this volunteer position takes me into the dramatically different health profession. My respect has gone sky-high for the kind people who work around the clock at Red Cross labs and hospitals to process blood for people in need. I am amazed by the journey blood travels from a donor to the person who relies on it to save their life.  

My position started with some online training, driver shadowing and taking the leap to take over a shift. The Red Cross has an incredible network of support to help you succeed in this volunteer role. I hope you decide to sign up for this fulfilling experience. You can meet all types of people, learn about this lifesaving organization, expand your personal growth and feel the satisfaction of helping during this historic time. 

Do you have what it takes?

Are you a dependable, safe and courteous person who can help us make these important deliveries? Volunteer Transportation Specialists deliver lifesaving blood products from Red Cross distribution facilities to hospitals, using a Red Cross vehicle. We need you to commit to two to four shifts per month (or more if you can). Typical shifts are about four hours.

You’ll also need to meet these important qualifications:

  • Have a valid state driver’s license and proof of insurance
  • Have three years of driving experience and a clean driving record
  • Ability to lift up to 45 pounds

Apply to volunteer at: redcross.org/volunteertoday.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

Got ink? You can still give blood

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By Christy Peters, External Communications Manager, Northern Ohio Biomedical Services

July 17, 2020- In honor of National Tattoo Day today we’re debunking the myth that those with tattoos can’t give blood. On June 8, the American Red Cross implemented new changes to donor eligibility criteria that may make it even easier for those with tattoos to give!

tattoo

 

In most states, including Ohio, there is no waiting period to give blood if your tattoo was applied in a state-regulated facility. The District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wyoming do not regulate tattoo facilities. If you received a tattoo in one of these states, the waiting period to give has gone from 12 months to three months.

If you are an individual currently deferred with the Red Cross for a tattoo under the former policy, your donor record will be updated by the end of July to align with the new policy. If you would like to have your donor record updated prior to then, donors can contact the Red Cross Donor and Client Support Center at 1-866-236-3276 for more immediate action. Please be aware that deferrals cannot be removed onsite at our blood drives or donation centers.

 

The Red Cross currently has an urgent need for blood donors to help ensure patients receive the lifesaving blood products they need. Healthy, eligible donors are encouraged to make an appointment in the coming weeks. To schedule a time to give, download the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Donors are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance and recent local and state mandates. To learn more about donor eligibility, visit RedCrossBlood.org/eligibility.

May 29, 2020. Rockville, Maryland. Whole blood donor Gloria Thornton. Photo by Dennis Drenner/American Red Cross
May 29, 2020. Rockville, Maryland. Donor Kairy Quinonez. Photo by Dennis Drenner/American Red Cross
May 29, 2020. Rockville, Maryland. Donor Robert Atkinson. Photo by Dennis Drenner/American Red Cross

 

Scared of needles? That is okay! You can help the Red Cross assist patients in need of lifesaving blood by becoming a volunteer blood donor ambassador at Red Cross blood drives. Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday to learn more and to apply.

Edited by Glenda Bogar, Red Cross volunteer

Red Cross joins forces with WONDER WOMAN 1984 to save the day for patients in need

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By Christy Peters, External Communications Manager, Northern Ohio Biomedical Services

July 8, 2020- This July, the American Red Cross and WONDER WOMAN 1984 are joining forces to save the day for patients in need of lifesaving blood transfusions. The Red Cross has an urgent need for blood donors this summer, as the COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented supply challenges amid this uncertain environment. Additionally, despite states lifting stay-at-home orders and reopening, many blood drives at businesses and community organizations continue to be cancelled as these locations remain closed or restrict the number of individuals at any location.

As part of the partnership, the Red Cross is organizing an epic prop replica giveaway from the new Warner Bros. Pictures film WONDER WOMAN 1984, due to hit theaters nationwide on Oct. 2. This giveaway was designed to thank heroes who roll up a sleeve and help patients battling illness and injury. Those who show up to donate blood and platelets through July 31 will automatically be entered for a chance to win an authentic WONDER WOMAN 1984 movie prop replica package, which includes the Golden Lasso and a pair of Gauntlets, identical to WONDER WOMAN’s from the film.*

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Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood—kids battling cancer, accident victims being raced into emergency rooms and new moms with complicated childbirths. The Northern Ohio Blood Services Region needs to collect approximately 500 pints of blood to meet the needs of patients at more than 70 local hospitals. Unfortunately, only 3 out of 100 Americans donate blood.

While tens of thousands of donors gave blood in response to an initial blood shortage caused by this coronavirus outbreak, it’s important to remember that red blood cells must be transfused within 42 days of donation, and platelets within just five days, so they must constantly be replenished. If you are feeling well, please make an appointment to give by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Scheduling Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Blood and platelet donors in Northern Ohio can also visit one of three donation centers, located in Cleveland, Parma or Akron.

Blood Donation during COVID-19

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arrival and are required to wear a face covering or mask while at the drive, in alignment with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention public guidance, as well as following recent mandates from the City of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.

Donors can save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass®. With RapidPass®, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

In most states, individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

 

*Terms and conditions apply. Valid email address is required. Limit five (5) entries per presenting donor. Winner will be selected and notified via the email listed in their American Red Cross donor profile on or around Aug. 10, 2020. Offer is non-transferable and not redeemable for cash. Void where prohibited. Giveaway begins July 1, 2020 and ends July 31, 2020. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries are not responsible for the promotion, administration or execution of this giveaway.

Edited By Glenda Bogar, American Red Cross volunteer

Sandusky resident shows age is just a number when it comes to donating blood

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By Eilene Guy, American Red Cross volunteer

April 29, 2020- Ken Fultz is proof positive you’re never too old to save a life, or two, or three.

The spry Sanduskian, who celebrated his 90th birthday in March, did his part for others during this COVID-19 emergency by giving blood at a recent American Red Cross blood drive.

Ken Fultz 2

Ken Fultz

“You know, I would do it again tomorrow if they (would) let me,” Ken said. “Everyone there knew what they were doing, and I got thanked over and over again.”

And well he should be thanked. Under the “stay home and save a life” rules to slow the spread of the deadly virus, scores of blood drives have been cancelled across northern Ohio. But the need for blood never stops, for accident victims; moms and newborns in difficult deliveries; surgery and cancer patients; and men, women and children who rely on transfusions for a healthy life.

“Dad has always been my hero,” Ken’s daughter, Sally Carter, said. “He has always put his family first and his community a close second.

“When the COVID-19 virus started to spread, it was hard to keep him inside and safe. When he suggested maybe he could give blood, we made the necessary phone calls to make it happen.”

Ken Fultz Sally Carter facemasked

Ken with his daughter Sally Carter

And while he was at it, Ken encouraged four other family members to donate blood along with him.

Donating blood was nothing new for Ken: His next donation – which could be as soon as late June – will put him into the 10 Gallon Club. That will mean he’s given 80 units of blood! And if each of those units was separated into red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, that amounts to as many as 240 lives saved!

Ken’s generosity isn’t limited to life saving. For more than 25 years, until last fall – at the age of 89 – he delivered Meals on Wheels to an eager group of shut-ins. And he delivered flowers from Zion Lutheran Church to Firelands Regional Medical Center faithfully every week until the hospital had to stop all visits as an infection precaution.

Ken Fultz

“It’s people like Ken who step forward to help others that are the heart and soul of the Red Cross,” said Christy Peters, northern Ohio regional biomedical communications manager. “They are genuine humanitarians, giving the gift of life.”

To find the date, time and location of your nearest Red Cross blood drive, call 1-800-REDCROSS or access RedCrossBlood.org.  Or you can text BLOODAPP to 90999 or search “Red Cross Blood” on the App Store or Goggle Play to get the free Blood Donor App.

 

Blood donors and drives help Red Cross maintain nation’s blood supply

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By Eric Alves, Regional Communications Specialist, American Red Cross of Northern Ohio

April 9, 2019- Thanks to the many donors who gave blood and scheduled upcoming appointments, and to the sponsors of blood drives during this uncertain time, the American Red Cross has been able to meet immediate patient needs. We encourage individuals to keep their scheduled blood donation appointments and to make new appointments for the weeks ahead to ensure a stable supply throughout this pandemic.

Donating blood is essential to ensuring the health of our communities. The need for blood is constant, and volunteer donors are the only source of blood for those in need.

Blood drives across Northern Ohio, such as the one held at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, provide an opportunity for blood donors to donate lifesaving blood at a convenient location.

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“Its been incredibly encouraging, and we’re very thankful to the community for their continued support in the midst of so much uncertainty,” said Christy Peters, external communications manager, Northern Ohio Biomedical Services.

Following a very successful blood drive on March 27, which saw 135 pints of blood donated, officials at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse decided to hold another blood drive on April 7. The decision to hold another blood drive proved to be the right decision as the community showed their generosity by filing into the arena once again to donate blood to help others in need.

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Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will be holding another blood drive on April 24.

Similar stories are being told across the Northern Ohio Region of local communities coming together to ensure the blood supply is well maintained for those who are in need, such as patients undergoing cancer treatment.

On April 8, Akron Mayor Daniel Horrigan joined residents to donate blood at the blood drive being held at the Joy Park Community Center.

Akron Mayor

Mayor Daniel Horrigan

Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control. To ensure the health of employees, volunteers and staff, precautions include checking temperatures of staff and donors before entering a drive to make sure they are healthy, providing hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation process, following social distancing between donors including entry, donation and refreshment areas, routinely disinfecting surfaces, equipment and donor-touched areas, wearing gloves, and changing gloves often, using sterile collection sets and an aseptic scrub for every donation and staff wearing basic face masks.

Blood donation is essential to ensuring the health of our communities. The need for blood is constant, and volunteer donors are the only source of blood for those in need.

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Every day patients rely on lifesaving blood transfusions including those who need surgery, victims of car accidents and other emergencies, or patients suffering from cancer. Right now, people are following public health guidance to keep their families safe and that includes contributing to a readily available supply of blood for hospitals.

This is the time to take care of one another. If you are healthy and feeling well, please make an appointment to donate by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).