Partners
A Little Extra Giving Goes a Long Way
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By Julie Ruel, Social Media Manager, Stanford Blood Center
Earlier this year, we added a new option to our online store, offering donors a unique way of spending the points they earn through their donations. In addition to the usual thank-you gifts such as apparel, athletic gear, and coupons, donors had the opportunity to donate their points to help support Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (LPCH) and The Safe Blood Africa Project.
You may have noticed these options no longer appear in our online store. Not surprisingly, the kindhearted spirit of a blood donor doesn’t end when the needle comes out. The overwhelming response in number of point donations had our allotted funds for these programs maxed out within a few months. But these donations have gone a long way.
We’ve been able to provide LPCH with gift cards to be used for special items for patients in long-term isolation. Colette Case, Director of Child and Family Life Services at LPCH (pictured below) happily accepted the cards from us. “Some of our stem cell patients are in isolation for 4-6 (or even more) months and it is quite a challenge to make sure they have the crafts, games and other supplies they need to reduce the effects of this long term isolation on their development. We’re so thankful for the continued support of Stanford Blood Center and its generous donors.”
In addition, the point donations have gone to work for The Safe Blood Africa Project. The organization, based out of California, is dedicated to improving transfusion medicine in Nigeria by providing such items as lab equipment, vehicles for blood drives, and comfortable donor beds. The point donations from our blood donors have allowed us to contribute to the Project, ultimately supporting their goal of providing a safe blood supply in Nigeria.
We hope to offer a similar program for our blood donors in 2013 – please stay tuned!
The Safe Blood Africa Project: How SBC Donors Can Help
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By Amanda Baker, Communications Intern, Stanford Blood Center
This is part 3 of 3 in our series on the Safe Blood Africa Project.
Click here to read Article 1: The Safe Blood Africa Project: Background
Click here to read Article 2: The Safe Blood Africa Project: The Trip
Think globally, act locally…help globally? At Stanford Blood Center, each of these are possible because now your blood donation that will save a life in your community can also help save lives overseas. Our online store recently added an option of donating the points you receive for giving blood towards helping blood centers in Nigeria, as part of the Safe Blood Africa Project.
Donating your points towards Safe Blood Africa means assistance goes towards procuring items like new donor beds. One of Safe Blood Africa’s goals is to recruit more voluntary blood donors, because the use of paid blood donors is thought to more likely lead to the transmission of blood-borne diseases like hepatitis, malaria, HIV, and other diseases. Making blood centers more inviting and comforting will encourage healthy eligible donors to make donations that help save the lives of local patients in need. At present some Nigerian donors have to donate on flat cots lying on their backs (that is, if they have cots at all). Comfy donors beds could thus make a big difference in attracting volunteer donors to give blood.
In addition to donor beds, donated points might also go towards vehicles for mobile blood drives, laboratory equipment like pipettes and donor scales, and other items that will help make a Nigerian donor’s experience a pleasant and safe one. The delivery of these items, as well as the training required for phlebotomy and blood storage, is handled by employees from BloodSource in Sacramento and representatives from the Carmel Valley Rotary Club.
Give blood for life to help save lives at home and abroad!
Update, Spring 2012:
The overwhelming response in number of point donations from our blood donors had our allotted funds for these programs maxed out within a few months. But the donations have gone a long way! Read more here.
Discovering Resources in the Community
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By John Williams, Marketing Manager, Stanford Blood Center
Living in the Bay Area has many advantages, not least of which is the plethora of opportunities to spend leisure time. With so many competing activities available, it’s easy to miss some gems. For instance, the Palo Alto Adult School (PAAS), a provider of courses for both self-enrichment and job-training. Of course, Stanford Blood Center (SBC) is not a bad place to devote a little time either, especially if you’re interested in helping patients. But people need to know about these organizations in order to take advantage of them.
So SBC and PAAS have partnered to help get the word out about their respective services. The advantage of partnerships between non-profit organizations is their shared communication to their constituencies. In this case, we can say that both entities serve the local community. PAAS through high quality of instruction at a reasonable price, and SBC by providing blood products to local hospitals. Even though PAAS is celebrating ninety years in the community and SBC was established in 1978, many people are not aware of them.
If you want to help save lives and maybe improve your own, look no further. Donate blood, learn Spanish, learn to cook, it’s all at your fingertips.
The Safe Blood Africa Project: The Trip
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By Amanda Baker, Communications Intern, Stanford Blood Center
This is part 2 of 3 in our series on the Safe Blood Africa Project.
Click here to read Article 1: The Safe Blood Africa Project: Background
This summer, BloodSource staff and representatives from the Carmel Valley Rotary Club traveled to Nigeria to continue working on the Safe Blood Africa Project. Led by Dr. Chris Gresens of BloodSource, the team also included Northern California Community Blood Bank CEO Tom Schallert and BloodSource’s Dr. John Watson-Williams, as well as project founder and Rotarian Warren Kaufman. Their destination was Uyo University Teaching Hospital in the state of Akwa Ibom, a region of about four million people in the southern part of the country.
The Safe Blood Africa Project seeks to save lives in Africa by improving the blood banking system with an approach that encompasses bolstering local blood facilities and training local staff. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 10-50 donations per year per 1000 population, which is quite a task for Nigeria as the most populous African country. Currently, around 250,000 Nigerians die every year from a lack of adequate blood products, and blood banks are able to supply only 2% of the population’s needs. The majority of patients needing blood are children with severe anemia and mothers with pregnancy-related blood loss.
On their previous assessment trip in 2010, affiliates of the Safe Blood Africa project delivered blood bank refrigerators and generators to provide a safe storage system for collected blood. While such equipment is essential for a successful blood banking industry, it is not sufficient to provide a safe blood supply. Equally crucial components are a steady supply of healthy, eligible donors to provide blood for transfusions and well-trained, knowledgeable staff.
Thus this trip’s expanded objectives were, firstly, to provide substantial education and equipment to bring blood transfusions up to a higher standard in the short-term, and secondly to allow a road map to be developed to improve transfusion medicine in general over a long-term period. Training is to continue in areas of donor recruitment, laboratory work, and medical administration. Donor recruitment is of particular importance, as unsuitable donors can pass along blood-borne diseases such as malaria, hepatitis, and HIV (AIDS) to blood recipients. The current status quo in Nigeria involves recruiting family members and paid donors, but it is crucial to recruit volunteer non-remunerated donors, that is, people willing to donate on their own accord without monetary incentives. Such donors are more likely to be honest in revealing their status as at-risk for blood-borne diseases.
The BloodSource and Carmel Valley Rotary team hopes to return twice a year for five more years. There are many barriers to be overcome – challenging transportation infrastructure, existing local bureaucracy, long-lasting power outages, and insufficient air conditioning, just to name a few, but all members are committed to the cause and dedicated to seeing it succeed. The ultimate goal is to help hospitals and blood centers become sustainable and self-sufficient facilities, and to spread a successful model to other medical facilities.
After the start of the year, we will be introducing a new option in our online store, allowing Stanford Blood Center donors to be able to contribute to the Safe Blood Africa Project. Using points earned through each donation, donors will be able to help purchase equipment for blood centers in Nigeria. Click here for more details.
Laughter, It’s Good for the Heart
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By Julie Ruel, Social Media Manager, Stanford Blood Center
Being happy in life is a goal that many people across the globe have in common. So how is it then that we achieve happiness? Over the last decade or so, this has become a hot topic. Psychologists have plunged into the science of what brings people happiness and how to make it sustainable.
HopeLab, a non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for young people with chronic illness, has been experimenting with this subject through the JOY Campaign. Their mission with this project is to create and capture moments of joy and share them with the world. And capturing these moments is exactly what happens when they turn up in various locations with their photo booth in tow. Let’s face it, who doesn’t like to pull that curtain closed and be ridiculous in front of a camera that doesn’t judge?
Last week on Halloween we had the treat of getting our blood donors involved when HopeLab set up shop at our Mountain View Center. It’s been said that expressing gratitude and practicing acts of kindness are excellent ways to give your happiness level a boost. So perhaps these people were already a step ahead as they arrived ready to give a pint of blood - a beautiful example of expressing kindness toward others. But what we saw were grown adults leaving their inhibitions behind and stepping into the booth. And what followed were four flashes and laughter so genuine and uninhibited, I think these folks may have even surprised themselves!
It’s these moments of spontaneous silliness that keep us young at heart. Let’s work on making these happy moments lasting moments. Think about what you’re grateful for. Show compassion for someone who needs it. Maybe you’re already doing something kind and generous as part of your regular routine –be conscious of it! In the words of one philosopher, “Without kindness, there can be no true joy”.
Where There is Hope
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By John Williams, Marketing Manager, Stanford Blood Center
HopeLab is a non-profit organization that works to harness the power and appeal of technology to improve kids’ health. In 2005, they launched Re-Mission, a video game for young cancer patients, which has been proven to significantly improve key behavioral and psychological factors associated with successful cancer treatment. To date, more than 180,000 copies have been distributed to 81 countries worldwide. Re-Mission is given out free of charge to young cancer patients, their families, and caregivers.
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (LPCH) was an Outcomes Study site for this groundbreaking video game. As we provide blood products to LPCH for pediatric cancer patients, many of whom might benefit from playing Re-Mission, we are pleased to help HopeLab get the word out about this great resource. We feel especially close to the cause as we often see parents of these patients at our Centers donating specifically for their child through our Directed Donations program.
HopeLab is also focused on research which will impact other childhood diseases, such as obesity, sickle cell disease, and autism. We are proud to be associated with an organization that is dedicated to promoting quality of life for young people with chronic illness.
HopeLab will be hosting a photo booth at our Mountain View Center on Monday, October 31 from Noon to 2pm as part of the JOY Campaign in celebration of their tenth anniversary. Blood donors will have the opportunity to put on their best Halloween costumes and make silly faces. Photos will be uploaded to a special website.
For more information about HopeLab, please visit their website.
To learn more about Re-Mission or to order a copy, please click here.
The Safe Blood Africa Project: Background
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By Amanda Baker, Communications Intern, Stanford Blood Center
This is part 1 of 3 in our series on the Safe Blood Africa Project
Communities around the globe require a safe and plentiful blood supply, and the need for blood transfusions affects patients worldwide. With this in mind, Stanford Blood Center, along with Sacramento’s BloodSource and Northern California Community Blood Center, is teaming up with the Safe Blood Africa Project to bring safe blood programs to Nigeria.
The Safe Blood Africa Project is an undertaking by the Rotary International World Community Service that aims to improve blood banking in Africa by establishing voluntary blood donation centers in places where blood is not available to patients in need. This involves bolstering blood facilities and training local personnel.
The project began when Warren Kaufman, former president of the Rotary Club of Carmel Valley, discovered the profound need for safe blood in Nigeria on a 2002 Group Study Exchange trip in Africa. Upon his return to the United States, Kaufman contacted representatives from four northern Californian blood centers and reached out to other Rotary Clubs for assistance in improving the blood banking system in Nigeria. Nigerian Rotary Clubs also contribute support coordinated by Edemekong Edemekong, a Superior Court Justice and Rotarian in Nigeria.
Among the first tasks of the project was addressing the lack of adequate blood storage. Collected blood needs to be kept cool to ensure it stays safe and effective for transfusion, but cold environments can be difficult to establish in areas with sweltering temperatures and where electricity can be intermittent. Thus, BloodSource and the Rotary Clubs of Redding and Eureka helped purchase refrigerators and generators to help keep blood cool even in the event of a power outage. Stanford Blood Center along with three other California blood centers (a group formerly known as Blood Innovations) also contributed funding to send blood center employees and Rotary representatives to Africa to deliver the much-needed medical equipment and provide training in laboratory procedures and medical administration.
Other partners in the Safe Blood Africa Project include Global Healing, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting health care reform and modern medical care to the developed world. A $150,000 grant from Global Healing has enabled employees at BloodSource to work alongside the Safe Blood Africa project through 2012, with an emphasis on training physicians, nurses, scientists, and recruiters.
Safe Blood Africa associates recently returned from a visit to Nigeria to deliver medical equipment and to train local health professionals in blood collection. Click here to read about their trip!
The B.E.S.T. Insights
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By Julie Ruel, Social Media Manager, Stanford Blood Center
The marketing group at SBC recently had the privilege of working with a group of students at the Stanford Graduate School of Business studying brands and user experiences. The class, called B.E.S.T. (brands, experiences, and social technology), was given the task of observing consumers in a natural setting, evaluating their findings, then offering insights intended to help tighten the gap between what consumers need to make for a positive experience with a company, organization, etc. and what that brand offers.
Because of the constant challenge in meeting the demand for blood products and, as class leader Emily Ma states, “the immense value Stanford Blood Center brings to the medical community”, they chose us as the brand to study. This is an elite group of students, many of whom will advance into roles as business leaders, and we were honored to be the subject of their assignment.
To kick things off, they asked some of our donors (representing the “consumers”) and staff the first five words that come to mind when they think of Stanford Blood Center. Here’s a word cloud highlighting the most commonly shared one-word descriptions:
Please, in the comments section below, share any words that come to mind for you.
For the rest of the assignment, some students became blood donors and others chatted with individuals before, during and after their blood donation. Then, leaving any of their own judgments behind, they used an empathetic approach to evaluating their experiences/findings and reported back with what they gathered to be the highs and lows of the donation process.
As you read through this, think about your own experiences as a blood donor. Can you relate? Here’s what they found:
The high points:
• Making the decision to give blood. Studies show that acts of kindness boost happiness levels!
• The greeting upon arrival and the sticker for first-timers. Wearing your “First Time Donor” sticker can initiate conversations and provide an opportunity to encourage others to give blood.
• Successful screening process. Anticipation of doing a good deed + time invested in driving to the Center = a relieved and happy donor when given the okay after the questionnaire and hemoglobin test.
• Snacks and conversation with fellow donors in canteen afterwards. The highlight for many is the sense of community they feel when talking to other donors. Have you ever spoken with the individual next to you at the table? With our diverse demographic of donors, I bet somebody has an interesting story to share!
There are also points along the way that many would just as soon skip if they could. For example, the medical history questionnaire doesn’t appear on most folks’ “favorite parts of the donation process” list. Here are a couple ideas that may be helpful:
• Before your visit, review the eligibility and deferral information on our website to see if travel history, medications, etc. may prevent you from donating on that day. For more specific questions, give us a call before dropping in. We appreciate all attempts to donate and we also want your time to be worthwhile.
• It may help to understand why we are required to ask each donor each question at each visit. Click here for more information on that.
Finally, as we could have predicted, it’s that needle prick that people report as the least glamorous part of the experience. Certain processes around blood donation change from time to time but this one is here to stay, I’m afraid. For many people, though, the anticipation is the worst part. And by that point, the cookies and P.O.G. are almost within reach. Just a brightly-wrapped-in-co-flex arm’s distance away.
Their findings are valuable to us as an organization that relies on volunteers in the community. We encourage your feedback as well. Please feel free to leave comments below. Creating a comfortable, enjoyable environment for our donors is something we take seriously and we strive to do that to the best of our abilities.
Good Things Come in Pairs
By John Williams, Marketing Manager, Stanford Blood Center
Identical twins Anabel and Isabel Stenzel, close friends and strong advocates of our organization, have shared a life-long battle with cystic fibrosis. The amazing pair, who have both benefited from life-saving double lung transplants at Stanford Hospital, are being featured in the United Nations Association Film Festival (UNAFF) documentary “The Power of Two”, inspired by their 2007 memoir.
“The power of two” could also easily describe the partnership between Stanford Blood Center (SBC) and UNAFF. SBC is constantly seeking collaborations with like-minded organizations in order to remain relevant to our donor base and we are delighted to partner with UNAFF. Collectively, SBC and UNAFF impact local people; SBC by serving local patients and UNAFF through education and activism. This year, the Festival, which was founded in 1998 at Stanford by Jasmina Bojic, film critic and educator, explores the theme of education as a human right. This is a topic which should resonate well with the educated and global-minded Stanford community.
UNAFF was originally conceived to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Every year in October, documentary films, many which have either received or been nominated for Academy Awards, are screened at Stanford University, as well as in Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, and San Francisco. This year’s Festival features films from 70 countries, including ten world premieres and ten US/Western US premieres.
We are currently running a promotion for blood donors with the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to this remarkable film. The screening will be on October 26 at the Li Ka Shing Center at Stanford University.
The Art of Giving Blood
SBC artist, Tony Ruiz
By John Williams, Marketing Manager, Stanford Blood Center
We’re always looking for opportunities to be current and relevant to the community we serve. Our outreach includes a diverse array of events, promotions, and communications ranging from science lectures to career workshops. In this economic climate of budget cuts, it’s important not to neglect the arts, so in 2005 we set up our “Artists in Residence” program, which is a showcase of local artists’ work in our three Centers. Artists working in a variety of media, including painting, photography, and sculpture, exhibit on a rotating basis. This is a win-win arrangement which greatly improves the aesthetics in our Centers, makes the donation process more comfortable, and helps promote the artists’ works.
Offset from the Hillview Center registration area is an alcove which has come to be known internally as “The Art Studio.” Dominating a wall is a striking three-dimensional painting by SBC courier/artist Tony Ruiz. Tony was the first artist to exhibit at our Hillview Center. His piece is a work-in-progress which he’s added to for over six years. He states, “I started the painting as a metaphor for the process of donating blood by community minded people for the sake of patients in need. Blood donors have asked me questions about the meaning of the painting and have inspired me to add elements to the work.” This piece of art has come to mean something very personal for Tony. As a cancer survivor and having had two surgeries, he understands the value of giving blood.
Every three months, artists from the Gallery House, a cooperative of local artists, rotate their work at our Hillview Center in Palo Alto. We’re astounded by the quality of the artwork, and staff and donors alike often wait in anticipation for the new works. The Gallery House has been hanging art since we opened our Hillview location six years ago. With multiple artists contributing pieces at any given time, there is always something to satisfy every taste.
Trevlyn Williams, Gallery House spokesperson, sees the partnership as a public service. “The artists represented in the Gallery House have committed to exhibiting at Stanford Blood Center (SBC) believing that art in public spaces is important. SBC is performing a vital service to the health needs of our community. Art hanging in this space hopefully is a positive addition in terms of pleasure and interest for both the donors and staff. At SBC the donors/visitors and staff are incidentally seeing art. What a gift for both them plus the artists who get to have exposure of their work in a different forum to that of a gallery, where viewers have specifically chosen to go see artwork.”
Lucy Liew is the latest artist to exhibit as part of the Gallery House contingent. Her vibrant paintings are already striking a chord with donors and staff. Lucy says, “I am excited to have my artwork on display in an organization that serves such a vital need in the community. My art celebrates life...and the blood centers are life-giving. I think that is a wonderful combination.”
If you donate blood at Hillview you may have come across the work of Cesar Sarmiento. Cesar’s pieces are hung in our registration booths in the reception area. He is a blood donor and understands that some people are initially fearful of donating. When he donates blood, he counts on the aesthetics of this beautiful center to help him through the process. “I think the artwork exhibit is one of those programs that help put donors at ease. If you’re anything like me, needles are something I don’t want to think about. The harder I try not to think about it, the more I do. I've always gone ahead with it knowing I might be saving someone's life. Since seeing and being a part of the artwork exhibit, all I think about now, is the artwork. I'm actually excited to go and get my needle prick. Actually I’m also excited to view others artwork. I hope that my artwork will distract people from the unpleasant prick of a needle or better yet, I hope that it will be one more reason donors want to come in to donate.”
At our Campus Center, we have a solo exhibit from Maria Lopez, a Stanford University employee by day and artist by night. Maria says, “Having worked at Stanford University for over 20 years, I've come to meet and learn from so many people on campus. I've been inspired by so many people and by so many things that this beautiful campus offers, the vibrant colors and history here is amazing.”
We hope that you make the opportunity to see all this wonderful art, in addition to saving lives!
Maternal Connection
by Michele Hyndman, Public Relations Manager, Stanford Blood Center
I am thrilled that Stanford Blood Center is a sponsor of the inaugural Promise Walk for Northern California on May 7 to raise awareness about preeclampsia and generate funds for research through the Preeclampsia Foundation. Thousands of women and babies die or get very sick each year from a dangerous condition called preeclampsia, a life-threatening disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Each year, many of the women and infants who are impacted by preeclampsia require blood transfusions making Stanford Blood Center and the Preeclampsia Foundation natural partners. In fact, I also have a very personal motivation to participate in the Promise Walk this weekend.
In July 2006, I developed preeclampsia with my first pregnancy when I was about 35 weeks along with my daughter, Sydney. The onset was fairly rapid. I showed severe signs of edema, my kidneys showed signs of stress and my blood pressure started to sky rocket. The only cure for preeclampsia is to deliver the baby. At 37 weeks, my midwife and doctor determined that it was no longer safe for me to carry Sydney and that she was big enough to deliver early. It broke my heart that this disorder was usurping the natural course of pregnancy and childbirth, and I prayed that there would be minimal repercussions for Sydney’s health. I was admitted to El Camino Hospital and immediately put on an IV of magnesium sulfate to reduce the chance of seizure and coma. It was a scary and unnerving experience during what should have been the most exiting and joyful moments of my life. Fortunately, Sydney and I both came through with flying colors. I’m grateful for our health and the incredible care we received.
I had a relatively mild case of preeclampsia and it was caught early. Countless other women and infants have not been so lucky. Recently, Lauren Larsen, author of “Zuzu’s Petals: A True Story of Second Chances,” spoke at Stanford Blood Center and told her story of preeclampsia which ravaged her body and required her to receive more than 200 units of blood. I’ve also heard the wrenching stories of families whose loved ones didn’t survive.
Scientists still don’t know much about what causes this disorder that affects approximately 8 percent of pregnancies. My mom developed preeclampsia when she was pregnant with me. My hope is that when Sydney decides to start a family of her own, research, funded by walks like this one, will have led to better understanding and preeclampsia prevention.
Globally, preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. By conservative estimates, these disorders are responsible for 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths each year.
Stanford Blood Center’s blood donors help support the treatment of these women and infants. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Everest-Size Friendships
by Julie Ruel, Social Media Manager, Stanford Blood Center
When Rob Chang, marketing manager at Sports Basement, called Stanford Blood Center four years ago regarding a potential partnership, we had no idea what he would bring to our organization and the relationship that would evolve.
We were familiar with Sports Basement and knew they were a store unlike most others. Sitting outside the front door is an old claw foot bathtub filled with yellow marigolds. Inside, all of their fixtures, displays, and racks are hand-made in their wood and metal shop. And a giant “esc” key hangs on the exit door. Clever and unique indeed.
But we didn’t know that Rob’s story was just as unique as the organization he’d been with since 2006. In a different way, though. For starters, he is part of the elite group of individuals to have reached the top of Mt. Everest. For most of us, I could stop there and we’d all agree that Rob is, in fact, unique on top of also being really cool. I wouldn’t be doing him justice, however, without first telling his whole story. Rob was diagnosed with Graves’ disease a number of years ago. The disease, an autoimmune disorder that leads to overactivity of the thyroid gland, ultimately makes climbing more difficult for him. In 2000, he visited Mt. Everest as part of an environmental cleanup. He didn’t summit on that trip but did manage, along with his group, to remove 600+ bottles of oxygen that were littering the mountain. Not a small feat by any stretch of the imagination.
Shortly thereafter, his sister Marie underwent gall stone surgery where doctors found she was actually fighting terminal gall bladder cancer. Within months, his oldest of four sisters passed away. Saying she lost her battle with cancer isn’t accurate, though. She didn’t lose because she never feared her illness or impending death. Her only fear was of eventually being forgotten.
A few months later, a group of Rob’s friends organized a memorial expedition climb, showing their effort in keeping Marie's memory alive. Feeling their dedication and commitment to the climb gave him the support he needed to lift his spirits and the experience changed his entire perspective on climbing. In the wise words of Rob, “Everyone wakes up with a great challenge, whether attempting to climb a mountain or battling things in their personal life. But in watching my sister fight cancer, she taught me through her example. If I can wake up and have 2% of her energy and courage she showed me battling cancer, I know I can climb any mountain”. He reached the summit of Mt. Everest, the tallest peak on earth, in 2005.
Rob originally inquired about a partnership with us as a way to support organizations in the community, a large part of the mission of Sports Basement. He was offering coupons with a generous discount to give to each blood donor, encouraging a healthy, active lifestyle. We’ve since given away many, many thousands in addition to pairing up with them to bring outdoor sports-related events to the Blood Center.
The friendship we’ve built with Rob and the Sports Basement is invaluable. And it all started one day when Rob realized he needed new running shoes. While looking for a pair at Sports Basement, he learned of a job opening. Out of that visit, he found more than one perfect fit.
Increasing the Odds
By Julie Ruel, Social Media Manager, Stanford Blood Center
Question: How might we increase the number of registered bone marrow donors to help save more lives?
Katie Pfeiffer, Communications Director at the Haas Center for Public Service, recently invited me to get Stanford Blood Center involved in their campaign with OpenIDEO, a creative online community centered around social good, to gather answers to this question. By reaching out to our blood donors and friends, we open this up to the ideas and inspirations of a new group of individuals. Ultimately, the goal of this campaign is to register 100,000 new people on the national bone marrow registry, complementing the efforts of 100K Cheeks, a Stanford-based student advocate group.
100K Cheeks - that catchy name sounded familiar. I recently learned that it refers to the cheek swabs used to collect the cells needed for tissue-typing. The group was also taking registry sign-ups (52 total!) at our last Stanford Hospital blood drive.
So in response to Katie’s invitation, there was no hesitation from our end. Their campaign fits seamlessly with what we do everyday. Whether someone is signing up to donate blood or to be a potential bone marrow donor, they’re signing up to save a life.
Bone Marrow Transplant Stories
An individual living in China made a decision one day to register as a bone marrow donor. Mike Wu, living in the Bay Area, had no reason to know what was taking place that day and what it would eventually mean for him. He was diagnosed with leukemia in January 
2003 and told he needed a bone marrow transplant. Because of the voluntary decision of the stranger across the world, Mike received the transplant and has a new lease on life. He and his wife are avid cyclists and ride to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Sameer Bhatia was on a business trip in Mumbai when he began feeling sick. He assumed the intense heat and humidity were responsible for his symptoms but visited his doctor to be sure. His white blood cell count was found to be abnormal and the diagnosis was leukemia. Given weeks to live, he, his friends and family set out to find a bone marrow match, his only chance of survival. They were told the chance of finding a match for someone of South Asian decent was 1 in 20,000. Through a powerful social media campaign, they registered over 24,000 people… and found a match.
Tragically, Sameer eventually succumbed to the disease. However, because of the number of new registrations collected through the work of his team, over 250 other matches were found.
Sadly, there are many individuals needing bone marrow transplants, desperately looking for a match, and left waiting with little hope. Together, we are asking for your help.
PLEASE:
Register as a bone marrow donor
Spread the word:
A Perfect Match
By Julie Ruel, Social Media Manager, Stanford Blood Center
Over the past five years, I’ve come to appreciate this time of year. Yes, wintertime at the office is very exciting around here! It’s the time of year when a committee of us Stanford Blood Center folks pair up with the Sharks Foundation to fasten our seat belts and prepare for the excitement that is… THE SHARKS BLOOD DRIVE!
Reality of what’s to come sets in when we open up the appointment slots and I watch the numbers go from zero to 60, or 400 rather, faster than a Zamboni ride around the rink. No doubt the power play of all blood drives for us, the several hundred loyal fans and eager blood donors bring in enough blood at the drive to serve over 900 local patients!
It was a natural fit when we began a partnership with the Sharks Foundation in 2007; we both share a mission of serving our community. Understanding the importance of the Sharks players as role models, the Foundation is specifically dedicated to enhancing the lives of youth, viewing them as the “key to the long-term well-being of our community”.
One young Sharks fanatic in particular has attended the last three Sharks blood drives, cheering us on from the sideline. Unable to give blood himself, Brian Sams, is nevertheless a valuable asset to our organization. “I want to put a face on blood donation so donors can see a real life survivor... so they can see what it takes to keep a kid alive. I’m here to advocate for blood donation and ensure that they’ll come back for future donations.” He was just six months old when doctors discovered he suffered from an immune deficiency, resulting in 13 years of IVIG therapy to strengthen his immune system. I was blown away to find out while speaking with Brian, now 22, what those 13 years entailed. Once every three weeks, he received one to two vials of treatment. But it took 200 donors to make up one vial. Imagine that. If I’m doing my math right, 66,300 donors were involved in keeping Brian alive during the course of his treatment. Wow. But week after week, it was always there for him. And being that he stayed at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, it all came from our very own local supporters.
Below, proud supporter, Brian hangs out with his sister, Sammi (left) and girlfriend, Christina, while they donate.
Working with the Foundation over the years has proven to be a perfect match for us – a win-win situation at it’s finest. Speaking of perfect matches, the Sharks have won the last four games played on the day of the blood drive. So let’s add four more “wins” in there!
The Real Winners
By Julie Ruel, Social Media Manager, Stanford Blood Center
Arriving to work on a typical day, I boot up my iMac, check my Google Reader and see something about Apple passing Microsoft as the most valuable tech company. Then I turn to Facebook for friend news and Twitter to see what’s happening. I imagine my routine isn’t all that different from most others’. But what is unique is getting to see many of these companies compete in a very different way.
In 2010, we introduced the Donor Cup; a friendly blood drive competition among some of the tech companies responsible for the very technology I rely upon throughout my day. Inspired by the World Cup soccer games, companies were invited to participate by scheduling at least four blood drives, one per quarter, during the year. Under the rules of play, they were ranked on their performance in a variety of categories, including percent of employee participation, percent of new donors, and highest total units collected.
We’ll be announcing the top overall winning company at an upcoming awards ceremony. We’ll also have the opportunity to recognize the hard work and dedication of the individual blood drive coordinators at these companies, many of whom go above and beyond their regular job duties to facilitate blood drive hosting.
In addition to taking part in the Donor Cup, three of our participants recently made an important announcement. Apple, eBay, and HP, part of a Corporate Partners Program, will be contributing $150 million toward the development of the New Stanford Hospital. Also involved in the Program are leading tech companies Intel, Intuit, and Oracle, all of which hold regular blood drives with us throughout the year. The three Donor Cup participants collectively brought in over 800 units of blood, many of which are shipped to the Hospital that will one day be the “global model for patient-centered, technologically advanced health care”.
But let’s not forget who the real winners are. Thousands of local patients have been given a second chance at life because of the important efforts of these organizations.
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