Letter to Editor | Big Thanks for Blood Drive Support

— from Jim Biddick for Orcas Blood Drive —

On Thursday, Jun. 8, your community blood drive registered a total of 84 donors. We welcomed eight first-time-donors. The blood donations collected at the blood drive are critical to maintain a stable blood supply for surgeries, medical emergencies, and for supporting patients battling life-threatening illnesses like leukemia and other cancers.

Thanks to all the donors who took time out of their busy day to donate blood. Inventory levels have been at critically low levels, so your drive was a huge help. With great appreciation to the Orcas Island Lions Club and the Kiwanis Club of Orcas for blood drive sponsorship, Jim Biddick and Martin Arnold for organizing the drive, Velma Doty and Kiwanis members for their support, and fellow Orcas Island Lions Club and Kiwanis Club members for their assistance; the Orcas Island Fire Department, Scott Williams, Bryce Hamilton, Mary Tanner, and Chad Kimple for providing the blood drive site and their support; Orcas Island High School Key Club advisor, Maurice Austin, and Key Club President, Maggie Toombs for their assistance promoting the drive at the high school; and the volunteers who helped on the day of the drive. You all play such an integral role in our mission to save lives – we wouldn’t be able to do it without your help.

On behalf of patients in our community’s hospitals, I wish to extend our thanks to you. These are a few patients who recently received blood products from Bloodworks Northwest:

• Patient with Prenatal Twins, Pre-eclamptic Toxaemia. Patient used: 10 units Red Blood Cells, 6 units Plasma, 3 units Platelets, and 1 Cryoprecipitate Pool.
• Patient with Pregnancy: Patient used: 16 units of Red Blood Cells, 12 units of Plasma, 2 units of Platelets, and 2 Cryoprecipitate Pools.
• Patient in car vs. pedestrian accident: Patient used: 20 units of Red Blood Cells, 16 units of Plasma, and 3 units of Platelets

Each day, 800 people must donate blood to meet the needs of patients in hospitals. Your blood drive played an important role in helping meet that goal.

The next Orcas Island Blood Drive is Thursday, Aug. 10.

Jim and Martin are looking for volunteers to help on future Blood Drives. Specifically we need four people to assist with registration. This requires your attendance at two blood drives for three hours each drive in order to be qualified. For information contact Jim at 376-2488 or jimsyled@aol.com.