ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- For those who find themselves in need of blood and blood products, blood from a volunteer donor can, literally, be just what the doctor ordered. While the need for red cells in the roughly 100 hospitals supplied by the American Red Cross is constant, platelets from volunteer donors play an equally important life-saving role in modern medicine.
Because of this fact, and the relatively short five-day shelf life of platelets, the Alabama and Central Gulf Coast Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross is always looking for additional platelet donors to meet the growing demand for this important blood transfusion component.
Thankfully, Anniston Army Depot has taken the mission of blood donation to heart. ANAD has been the single largest blood donor in the central portion of the state. The ANAD blood drives generate a large number of red cells for patients in regional hospitals supplied by the American Red Cross and a core group from the depot has engaged in the mission of platelet donation.
There are currently about 100 dedicated platelet donors actively participating in the depot's apheresis program and that number continues to grow.
ANAD platelet donor Keela Rowan said after being recruited into the platelet program, while donating whole blood at an ANAD drive, she had a personal experience motivates her to continue donating platelets.
"I gave my first platelet donation in 2002 and I now have a total of 37 donations," said Rowan. "I continue to donate platelets because I lost my father to cancer and I have several friends who lost their battles with cancer. This is a way that I can give back and make a difference. It's a way of helping someone in their battle with cancer and, compared to what they are going through, it is really easy."
While red cells play a large role in the treatment of those with cancer, platelets also play as important, if not more important, roles in restoring health to those who have undergone chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
Platelets are the component of blood that forms clots and stems blood loss. The common treatments for cancer often damage healthy tissues and these components in the blood. Production of these components in bone marrow is often inhibited during treatment or by the cancer itself, thus creating a need for red cell and platelet transfusion.
Justin Green said he also began donating platelets through ANAD, partially because he received time off for donations.
"Now, I continue to donate because I am able to help those in need. It is a great way to give back and, though you don't know who you're helping, you know you're helping someone," said Green.
Platelets are obtained through one of two ways: as a fractionalized portion of a "whole blood" unit, or from a single platelet-only donation process called apheresis.
One transfusion dose of platelets can be obtained through one apheresis donation of platelets or by combining the platelets derived from five whole blood donations. Donated platelets must be used within five days of collection, so new donations are constantly needed.
Tammy Cline of Anniston said she has known people who needed platelet donations in the past, and the ANAD program made donation easy.
"My first platelet donation was in May 2010 and I've made six donations to date," said Cline. "I started donating because we had information about platelet donation on The Morning Show. That led me to begin asking questions about it to see where to go and how to sign up."
The apheresis process is different from the traditional whole blood donation process. To begin with, apheresis is an automated process. While a nurse attends the apheresis donor, the process of drawing and separating components is automated and involves a machine.
The procedure can be a double-arm or single-arm procedure, depending on the wishes of the donor in question or the type of machine used. The entire process, from start to finish, takes a little longer than a routine whole blood donation. Platelet apheresis generally takes one and a half to two hours per donation procedure, compared to a whole blood donation procedure that generally is completed in less than an hour.
During a platelet donation, a small portion of your blood (about a fourth of a pint at a time), is drawn from your arm and passed through a sophisticated cell-separating machine. The machine collects the platelets and safely returns the remaining blood components, along with some saline, back to you. After the donation you can resume normal activities, avoiding heavy lifting or strenuous exercise that day.
To pass the time, donors often listen to music or simply relax during the process. Most American Red Cross Donation Centers offer televisions or video players and many have wireless internet access available.
The depot continues to grow its apheresis program through the willing participation of donors from a cross-section of departments.
Mike Hanson said he has multiple reasons for donating platelets, despite a three-hour round trip drive from his home to the Ridge Park Donor Center in downtown Birmingham.
"My first platelet donation was in 2005, and I have given three times to date, said Hanson. "I took some time off from donating, but the storms in April motivated me to come back. I donate because I like knowing I am helping. Who knows? I may be helping a child with leukemia. When my son was in the hospital, I saw that need first hand."
Hanson said he would ask all prospective donors to apply the "Golden Rule."
"I would tell that person to put themself in the shoes of someone in need of a transfusion to live," said Hansen. "You never know if and when you will need it. It's something you don't really think about until it affects your life."
To be eligible for platelet donation, you must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in general good health on the day of donation. If you are interested in becoming an American Red Cross platelet donor, contact Theresa Smith at Ext. 6937 to set up an appointment.
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