February 8, 2012

The Life You Save May Be Your Own

The number one reason blood donors say they give is because they want to help others. Donating blood saves lives. Usually it’s the lives of hospital patients, but every now and then it’s the life of a donor.

Donating blood has health benefits – Every time a person donates blood at Indiana Blood Center or any other blood center he or she receives a mini-physical. The blood technician checks each donor’s body temperature, pulse, blood pressure, iron levels and cholesterol.

(Cholesterol results can be viewed by donors a few days after their donation by logging into their DonorPoint account.)

Kansas City blood donor, Bill Coffman, received a mini-physical that was LIFESAVING. A few days after donating blood, Coffman received his results from Community Blood Center. To Coffman’s surprise, his cholesterol levels were off the charts. 

Coffman gives thanks to Community Blood Center for being alive. Had he not donated blood, it could have been too late before he sought medical attention.

More of Coffman’s story here.

About 47 percent of American adults have cholesterol levels that are too high. To get out or stay out of this percentage, you should have your cholesterol levels checked regularly.

An easy way to maintain your cholesterol levels is by donating blood. As stated above, each donor receives a mini-physical before they donate blood, which includes checking cholesterol levels.

You can donate whole blood every 56 days, which means by doing so you can stay on top of your cholesterol levels.

Save the lives of others, with the potential of saving your own.

Schedule to Give Red at DonorPoint.org.

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February 1, 2012

Raise $1 for American Heart Association

With February being National Heart Month, Indiana Blood Center is partnering with American Heart Association to help spread awareness and raise dollars.

Heart Disease is the number one killer of women in America.

Raise $1.00

Throughout the month of February, for every new “Like” on Indiana Blood Center’s Facebook page, $1 will be donated to American Heart Association.

Raise Awareness

Help spread the word. Tell everyone you know.

American Heart Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Raise Your Sleeve

Give Red. Although heart surgeries today are performed without a blood transfusion, if possible, in some cases it just can’t be avoided.

Donate blood in honor of a woman you love so that it’s there if she or someone like her ever needs it. Schedule to Give Red at DonorPoint.org.

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January 31, 2012

Donor of the Month

With a new year comes new opportunities and modified resolutions for the average person. But for a dedicated blood donor, a new year brings about the same opportunity and the consistent resolution of saving lives.

With 110,000 unique donors, it’s time we start recognizing some of them. At the end of each month we will acknowledge and applaud one of our generous and dedicated donors.

Starting off the Donor of the Month series is…

Steve Phillips of Greenfield, Indiana

To date, Phillips has donated 48 times, doing so simply to “help others.”

“If I’d known how relatively quick and painless the donating process was, I’d have started years ago,” Phillips said.

Inspired by the potential of saving lives, Phillips continues his selfless task of donating blood. He is gratified that is able to help people and is aware that someday he may be the one in need.

“For many years I have been blessed with good health, and donating blood is my way of giving back what I’ve been blessed with,” Phillips said.

Phillips strongly encourages anyone who is eligible to donate to do so whenever possible.

“The gift of life is precious. Let’s pass it on,” Phillips said.

Follow Steve’s lead and give the gift of life. Go to DonorPoint.org and make an appointment to donate blood today.  

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January 27, 2012

And the Winner Is…

Thanks to all who participated in the Super Donor Super Ticket Giveaway. 
539 people participated in Indiana Blood Center’s raffle by donating platelets at least four times in the last three months.
In all, there were nearly 5,000 platelet procedures in the three months. The number of transfuseable units from those donations number of 10,000 units.

Winners were identified through a random drawing.

Third Place Winners: All 539 donors that kept four platelet appointments received 2,500 DonorPoint points.

Second Place Winners: 20 autographed Colts mini-helmets.

1 Avon donor
4 Carmel donors
1 Columbus donor
2 Fishers donors
2 Greenwood donors
6 Indianapolis donors
2 Lafayette donors
1 Muncie donor
1 Terre Haute donor

First Place Winners: 3 Apple iPads

2 Greenwood donors
1 Terre Haute donor

Grand Prize Winner: A pair of tickets to the 2012 Super Bowl at Lucas Oil Stadium 

Grand Prize

Carol Sikler, Lafayette!!!

Carol and her daughter, Cammie, wearing their homemade Super Donor t-shirts

Congratulations, Carol!

Carol started donating platelets in 2001 after her husband became ill and required platelets for survival.

Carol’s husband had a colon disease that required about 70 units of blood during one hospital stay. Carol vowed to replace all the units he had lost.

Her husband passed away in 2003 from the disease. Carol has donated platelets consistently since her husband became ill in the fall of 2000.

She is a self-described cheerleader of Indiana Blood Center and its mission.

Carol’s 16-year-old daughter, Camaran, became a first-time blood donor last month “because her dad would want her to”.

Carol had no idea her platelet donations were putting her in a drawing to win Super Bowl tickets. She was just doing what she always did – donating to save a life.

To date, Carol has logged 143 visits to give either whole blood or platelets to Indiana Blood Center – averaging one visit per month.

Stay tuned for more updates on Carol and her daughter Cammie’s 2012 Super Bowl experience…

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January 26, 2012

Super Donor Super Ticket Giveaway

Do you donate blood? What about platelets? What are platelets you wonder?

PLATELETS

Platelets are the “yellow stuff” in our blood, small cell fragments that help control bleeding. They are needed by many types of patients, including those undergoing cancer treatment, bone marrow or organ transplants, trauma procedures or open heart surgeries.

During a platelet donation, only platelets are taken; remaining blood components are returned to the donor. This is why you can donate platelets every 2 weeks compared to every 56 days for whole blood donations. Donating platelets, you are receiving your oxygen-carrying red blood cells.

Many factors are contributing to fewer platelets being available for local Indiana hospitals. Although nearly 3,000 dedicated Indiana Blood Center platelet donors donate each year, nearly 30% donate only once.

More donors are needed to share the load, so efforts have been put in place to expand the donor base, while also making strides to increase the current donor frequency.

PROMOTION

These efforts include a platelet donation contest designed to engage and reward former, current, and future platelet donors to help increase donations. We named this contest The Super Donor Super Ticket Giveaway.

From October 15th through January 15th each donor that scheduled and kept four platelet appointments (during this designated period) was qualified for one entry into a raffle.

PRIZES

Third Place Prize: All donors that kept four platelet appointments to receive 2,500 DonorPoint points

Second Place Prize: 1 of 20 autographed Colts mini-helmets

First Place Prize: 1 of 3 Apple iPads

The Grand Prize: A PAIR OF TICKETS TO THE 2012 SUPER BOWL AT LUCAS OIL STADIUM

RESULTS

539 people participated in Indiana Blood Center’s raffle by donating platelets at least four times in the last three months.

In all, there were nearly 5,000 platelet procedures in the three months. The number of transfuseable units from those donations number of 10,000 units.

Stay tuned… tomorrow we will be announcing our grand prize winner. And while you are waiting, feel free to make an appointment to donate platelets by going to DonorPoint.org

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December 19, 2011

Story About a Drop of Blood

Is it time again for you to Raise Your Sleeve? Now that you know how your blood is processed and where it goes, how about another try?

Go to DonorPoint.org and schedule your appointment today.

REMINDER: You can save three lives each time you donate.

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November 8, 2011

Sophie’s Story

Please give blood. Make an appointment to give blood today at DonorPoint.org. Tomorrow… You’ll have someone’s undying gratitude.

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November 2, 2011

Raise $1 for Cancer Support Community

Raise $1.00

Throughout the month of November, for every new “Like” on Indiana Blood Center’s Facebook page, $1 will be donated to Cancer Support Community.

Raise Awareness

Help spread the word. Tell all your friends.

Cancer Support Community is a non-profit organization whose mission is to ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community.

Raise Your Sleeve

Take an hour out of your day to Raise Your Sleeve for all of those fighting cancer. Go to DonorPoint.org and make an appointment to donate blood today.

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November 1, 2011

Give For Those Who Cannot

Jackson Fetter

Travis Fetter from West Lafayette, Indiana has donated platelets and whole blood countless times at Indiana Blood Center‘s Lafayette blood center.

Travis began giving without ever thinking his family would be the ones receiving. Travis shares his reason for raising his sleeve.

Why do you donate?

I donate simply because I can, when others cannot.

What is unique about your story?

After donating blood and platelets for more than 7 years, my family found itself on the receiving end of those donations.

In May 2010, my son, Jackson, was diagnosed with Leukemia and would soon undergo chemotherapy treatment which resulted in a bone marrow transplant in October 2010. As a result of the chemotherapy, his body was unable to produce healthy amounts of red blood cells and platelets.

Between May and October, transfusions were needed sometimes 3 or 4 times a week.

“Without donations, Jackson would not have been able to maintain his health and happiness throughout the treatment.”

Thank you, Travis for sharing such an inspirational story.

Let’s all Raise our Sleeves for Jackson. Make an appointment to give blood today at DonorPoint.org and tomorrow… You’ll have someone’s undying gratitude.

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October 25, 2011

The Power of Platelets

Below is a letter we received from Ed and Sandy, parents of Andrew, from Greenwood, Indiana. Ed is a long time blood donor. Giving blood is just something Ed has made part of his life. Until recently Ed did not think much about who was on the receiving end of his donations.

The day after Ed and Sandy’s son, Andrew, was born he was diagnosed with neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT). NAIT is a rare condition in which the mother’s blood enters the fetus’ blood stream and antibodies from the mother’s blood attack the fetus’ blood platelets. At the time of his diagnosis, Andrew’s platelet count was less than 10% of normal and he was in need of an emergency platelet transfusion.

10/6/2011

Dear Indiana Blood Center,

We just wanted to drop you a quick note to give you an update on our son, Andrew, and also to extend our thanks.

Andrew’s platelet count has been rising since Tuesday. In fact he is recovering so well we may be able to go home a little sooner than originally expected. He is very healthy and very happy!

Thank you also for the outstanding treatment my wife Sandy received when she came in for her platelet donation yesterday. Your staff was very professional and it was greatly appreciated.

This outcome could not have been possible without the work of your team there at Indiana Blood Center and all of your generous donors.

Our pediatrician and the staff at St. Francis did a fantastic job with diagnosis and a treatment strategy, but if platelets had not been readily available when he needed them the outcome could have been dramatically different for our family.

Words cannot express the gratitude we have for the work that you and your team perform day in and day out. They cannot express how thankful we are for the donors who give their time and their blood to help save countless lives like my son’s.

We will keep all of you in our prayers as your staff and your donors continue your remarkable mission of saving lives.

Ed & Sandy

Indiana Blood Center would like to thank Ed & Sandy for sharing their story.

Above is a wonderful testimony proving platelets save lives. But without generous donors, there would be no supply of platelets to provide to our hospitals for patients to receive.

Let’s all Raise our Sleeves in honor of Andrew and his courageous fight for life!

Go to DonorPoint.org and make an appointment to donate platelets today.

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