Red Cross month kicks off today

Tim Quinn, of Brentwood, donates whole blood at the Nashville Blood Center. He is pictured with Red Cross Phlebotomist Lisa Martin. (Submitted photo) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

U.S. presidents since Franklin Delano Roosevelt have proclaimed March as Red Cross Month. Throughout March, 750 Red Cross chapters across the country will celebrate in a variety of ways, including holding special events, volunteer training or fundraisers to give people an opportunity to support the organization through donations of time, money or blood.

"One way of celebrating is to continue the mission by donating a unit of blood at a Red Cross donor center or neighborhood blood drive," said Steve Beeler, CEO of the Tennessee Valley Blood Services Region. "A single donation, which actually takes only a few minutes, can help save the lives of three individuals."

Each year the Red Cross collects approximately 6.5 million units of blood, from roughly 4.5 million volunteer blood donors. From these donations, the Red Cross distributes around 9.5 million blood products to patients at approximately 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country.

The Tennessee Valley Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross began collecting blood 60 years ago, on February 14, 1949.

Today, the region includes 88 counties in middle Tennessee, southwestern Kentucky and parts of Illinois and Missouri. It runs an average of 18 whole blood collection operations each weekday and 12 each weekend, collecting approximately 3,200 units of blood.

The blood collected by the Tennessee Valley Region is manufactured into over 300,000 blood components including red blood cells, plasma and platelets. These blood products are distributed to 59 hospitals in the region.

However, the eligible blood donor pool is shrinking. A few years ago, it was thought that 60-percent) of the population was eligible to donate blood. Today, only about 38-percent of the United States' population is eligible to give blood. Of those eligible, only about 8-percent donate.

"As new safety qualifications, tests and travel restrictions are introduced, the number of eligible blood donors is decreasing. Add an unstable economy to the mix and that figure could drop even lower, says Beeler. Increasing frequency of blood donation is important; however, it is just as important to recruit new donors into the system. The more blood donors available, the less the likelihood of a blood shortage."

Blood donors like Gail Barnes, of Christiana, understand the importance of regular blood donation.

"I started (donating) when I was working as an Occupational Health Nurse in Florida. I thought, I can't ask people to do it if I don't myself. I tried it once, and once I started I saw it was no big deal. It got me started donating on a regular basis," says Barnes.

Barnes recently reached the 10-gallon milestone for blood donation -- an accomplishment recognized by Governor Phil Bredesen.

"I got this nice letter from the Governor," she says. "I just feel like it's something I can do. I feel good donating. It makes me feel like I'm helping somebody."

Barnes, who now works as a Nurse Case Manager, used to donate whole blood -- the process most of us are familiar with. Now she donates blood platelets through apheresis.

Platelet apheresis is the process of drawing whole blood from a donor, separating the blood into its components, keeping the platelets and then returning the remaining blood components to the donor.

Platelet products are primarily used by cancer patients. When a patient is having extensive chemotherapy, the production of blood cells is affected and the platelet count may drop to a critical level.

"I have a friend who is undergoing chemo, and had several surgeries. I feel like in a way I'm helping her," said Barnes.

Because platelets are quickly replenished by your body, you can donate platelets up to 24 times per year. Platelet apheresis is available at the Heart of Tennessee Chapter in Murfreesboro and the Nashville Blood Center.

Another blood donation option is double red cell donation. Double red cell donation is an advanced technology that allows a donor to give two units of red blood cells in one visit. It may be a better fit for some donors' busy schedules. Since two units of red cells are given at once, the donor must wait 16 weeks, or 112 days, between donations.

Double red cell donation is available at the Nashville Blood Center, mobile blood drives throughout the region, and, beginning in April, at the Heart of Tennessee Chapter in Murfreesboro.

Blood transfusions are used for trauma victims -- due to accidents and burns -- heart surgery patients, organ transplant patients, newborns and premature babies, complications during childbirth, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or other diseases, such as sickle cell disease.

During March and April everyone who presents to donate at a Red Cross blood center or blood drive will receive an American Red Cross life-saving team baseball hat, while supplies last.

The Tennessee Valley Region currently has less than a 24-hour supply of blood types O-negative and B-negative, but all blood types are needed.

Individuals 17 years of age and older (16 with completed Parental Consent Form), weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health, may be eligible to donate blood. The entire process -- from check-in to refreshment time in the canteen after donation -- normally takes about an hour.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

A blood drive will be held Tuesday, March 10, from noon until 6 p.m. at Regions Bank on Elm Street. To schedule an appointment at the Nashville blood donation center, or for more information, donors should call (800) 448-3543 or visit www.bloodisneeded.org. Donors are reminded to bring a photo ID.