Blood Centers Across the Country Make Special Appeal for Donations

Malik, the eldest of four boys in his family, was born with sickle cell anemia, among the most common forms of an inherited blood disorder. It’s a disease that affects the body’s red blood cells, which take on a long, narrow sickle shape. Ultimately, the disease makes it difficult for the red blood cells to carry sufficient oxygen throughout the body, thus reducing the amount of oxygenated blood flowing to organs.

When sickled cells become logged in blood vessels, mostly throughout the chest, joints and abdomen, a low (most times critical) hemoglobin is presented. The individual experiences severe pain and weakness. This is known as sickle cell crisis. During this time, blood transfusions are almost always required. Although there is no cure for most individuals with sickle cell, treatment can relieve pain and help prevent conditions associated with the disease.

Fortunately, a bone marrow transplant was given to Malik by his younger brother, which cured him of sickle cell anemia, thereby saving Malik’s life. Blood tests were conducted on his younger brother, Michael, who turned out to be a perfect match. Michael’s bone marrow was harvested and successfully transplanted into his brother’s body. If Malik did not receive his brother’s bone marrow, he would have had endured a lifetime of transfusions.

“I was really lucky that my brother was a compatible donor,” says Malik. His mother, Belinda, says there is no question that the medical laboratory played a vital role in Malik’s survival. “With every hospital visit, we had to wait for the lab test results,” she says.

Malik’s story was brought to the attention of ASCP’s Patient Champions program by Tiffany Channer, MPH, MLS (ASCP) ^CM, a friend of Belinda’s and a member of the ASCP Patient Champion Advisory Board. Malik is now a member of the Patient Champions program, in which patients share their stories to empower new patients to ask the right questions and understand their diagnoses. This program focuses on teaching patients, caregivers and advocates about the laboratory so they can better understand their options and choose the treatments that work best for them.

“Malik’s story is so powerful. His family is so sweet and so humble,” says Ms. Channer, a blood bank technical supervisor for OneBlood, Inc., at Tampa General Hospital, in Tampa, FL.  

The month of January is National Blood Donor Month, which seeks to raise awareness about the critical need for blood donors. It’s especially important, Ms. Channer says, for people of African descent to donate blood to help patients with sickle cell, as the disease affects approximately eight percent of African-Americans.¹

“The general public should always be aware of the importance of blood donation. We especially need donations from minority groups. Sickle cell anemia is awful, and we, as a society, need to assist saving these individuals’ lives,” says Ms. Channer, who sees quite a few patients with sickle cell disease seeking treatment at Tampa General Hospital. “Patients with sickle cell anemia can receive multiple transfusions throughout the course of their lives. This increases the risk of them developing antibodies. It puts a large strain on blood banks and blood centers to find compatible blood for patients. If we have more donors with a similar genetic makeup, this will improve the chances of finding compatible blood, thereby improving transfusion turnaround times and saving more lives.”

Schedule your appointment to give blood today by visiting oneblood.org and or redcrossblood.org, and help patients live a happy, healthy life. From your donation, blood, plasma and/or cryoprecipitate can be derived. Platelets can also be donated, mostly processed through an apheresis machine.

Apart from being a blood donor, you can also become a bone marrow donor as well. Visit www.bethematch.org. You can give the priceless gift of life.

And, be sure to find out what Malik and his mother Belinda have learned from their journey, and how they want to help others going through something similar! Visit www.ascp.org/patients to read more about Malik’s journey and to meet our other Champions.

References

1. American Society of Hematology, http://www.hematology.org/Patients/Anemia/Sickle-Cell.aspx. Accessed Jan. 18, 2019.