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Local Donors Recognized at National Blood Donor Month Celebration
(January 18, 2011) |
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| | PORTSMOUTH, Va. (NNS - 1/14/2011) -- Local Armed Services
Blood Program (ABSP) donors were recognized in Naval Medical
Center Portsmouth's (NMCP) Apheresis Laboratory during
National Blood Donor Month, with the lab's staff holding a
donor open house and a cake cutting on Jan. 13. |
The lab has been celebrating the January observance
for several years as a way to acknowledge its
donors.
National Blood Donor Month has been
observed in January since 1970 in an effort to
counter drops in blood donations during the winter
months. Year-round blood donation is critical since
the shelf life of blood is so short.
To kick
off the open house, Capt. Darin Via, NMCP's deputy
commander, spoke about the importance of the program
and thanked the donors before cutting the cake with
one of them.
"You know how passionate I am
about blood donations and their use, especially for
surgical services in theater," said Via, who
returned last summer from a year's deployment to
Afghanistan. |
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NORFOLK (Sept. 16, 2010) Boatswain's Mate Seaman Corbin Laudenslager donates blood to benefit Naval Medical Center (NMC) Portsmouth, Va., during a ship-wide blood drive. With the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as the need to replenish the blood supply aboard U.S. Navy ships, the staff from NMC Portsmouth aims to get up to 100 units of blood during the drive. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Edward Kobobel) |
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"Between the hard work by the technicians to process the
blood and those who volunteer to give – you are saving lives
every day, and you may not really realize you are doing
that. Whether it's a trauma patient in the OR, a cancer
patient on the ward or elective surgery, blood products are
always needed."
Lt. Cmdr. Leslie Riggs, Blood Bank
division head, also thanked the donors, saying he was
especially appreciative for the repeat donors and those who
donate when called because someone with their blood type is
in need.
Sally Backues, a frequent donor and an
electronics technician with the Navy-Marine Corps Public
Health Center, and Via cut the ceremonial cake. Via then
shook each donor's hand and thanked him or her individually
for their contribution.
Four donor appreciation
plaques were on display nearby, listing the names of the
frequent donors. Seven have donated more than 25 times,
eight gave more than 50 times and four donated more than 75
times.
Backues is one who donates blood regularly
throughout the year, and has been doing so for about three
years.
"I donate because I know I am doing something
for someone," Backues said. "I come down here to donate at
least once a month, and more often when I'm called because
I'm a match to someone in need. I also encourage others who
work here to donate."
Of the units collected at NMCP,
half are used by NMCP patients or patients at other military
treatment facilities, while the other half are used on the
battlefield to treat service members injured there.
Units are frequently needed by cancer patients, one of whom
spoke during the celebration.
"I am extremely
grateful to those who donate," said Capt. Jean T. Scherrer,
Transfusion Services division head and recent ovarian cancer
patient. "I know I was grateful whenever I received a
donation. I received four units over the course of a month
early last summer. I used to be a donor, and never thought
I'd be on the receiving end. Thankfully, now I'm in
remission."
The ASBP provides blood products to
active-duty service members and their families receiving
care at MTFs worldwide. NMCP is one of 22 ASBP blood
donation centers and aims to collect 500 to 700 units per
month.
Donations are also collected through an ASBP
mobile van that visits area installations four days a week
to collect at bases as far north as Fort Lee, Va. The mobile
van schedule can also be found at the ASBP site by selecting
Blood Donation Centers and then Naval Medical Center
Portsmouth. The site allows users to find drives, schedule
appointments and track the monthly goal.
Donating
whole blood takes about eight to 10 minutes, while donating
platelets, red cells or plasma can take longer. Whole blood
can be donated once every eight weeks, while the other blood
components can be donated more often. One donation can help
up to three people.
To donate blood, donors must be
at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, be without
infection or fever, should not using antibiotics and should
generally be feeling well on the day of donation. |
By Rebecca A. Perron
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth Public Affairs
Copyright 2011 | |
Reprinted from
Navy News Service
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