Lopez blood drive helped to save lives

Thanks to all who rolled up their sleeves to donate at the Lopez Island Community Blood Drive on behalf of patients in our community’s hospitals, I wish to extend our thanks.

December 25, 2011 1:31 pm

By Carol Rondello

Special to the Islands’ Weekly

Thanks to all who rolled up their sleeves to donate at the Lopez Island Community Blood Drive on behalf of patients in our community’s hospitals, I wish to extend our thanks.

During your blood drive on Dec. 16, Puget Sound Blood Center registered 35 people to donate blood.

This will bring health and comfort to many patients. Your blood drive has helped us build up the blood supply for the holidays.

The blood donations collected at the blood drive are critical in order to maintain a stable blood supply for surgeries, medical emergencies, and for supporting patients battling life-threatening illnesses like cancer and leukemia.

Thanks to all donors who took time out of their busy day to donate blood. With great appreciation to Lopez Island Lions Club for blood drive sponsorship, Don Langrock for organizing the drive and fellow Lions Club members for their assistance, the Community Church for providing the blood drive site, and the volunteers who helped on the day of the drive. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Each weekday, 900 people must donate blood to meet the needs of patients in western Washington hospitals. Your blood drive has played an important role in helping meet that goal.

The following patients are just a few of the many who have received blood from Puget Sound Blood Center in the past few days. The blood was available for them, thanks to blood drives like yours:

· 12 day old infant patient: Open Heart Surgery. Patient used: 13 units Red Blood Cells, 4 units Plasma, 3 units Platelets and 2 units Cryoprecipitate.

· 65 year old patient: Liver Failure. Patient used: 14 units Red Blood Cells, 12 units Plasma and 2 units Platelets.

· 51 year old patient: Heart Transplant. Patient used: 32 units Red Blood Cells, 28 units Plasma, 10 units Platelets and 2 Cryoprecipitate Pools.

· 34 year old patient: Aortic Aneurysm. Patient used: 16 units Red Blood Cells, 20 units Plasma, 8 units Platelets and 5 Cryoprecipitate Pools.

50 year old patient: Gastro-intestinal Bleeding. Patient used: 16 units Red Blood Cells, 11 units Plasma, 1 unit Platelets and 2 Cryoprecipitate Pools.

Next blood drive is on Friday, March 16.

— Carol Rondello is the mobile representative for the Puget Sound Blood Center