Posted on 03/31/2006 4:59:47 PM PST by SandRat
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO (March 31, 2006) -- Representatives from the Blood Donor Center at Naval Medical Center San Diego are scheduled to make an appearance at the depot’s safety fair for an annual blood drive April 6.
Every weekend, NMCSD gathers blood from recruits in training, but only receives blood from permanent personnel quarterly. Due to the war on terrorism, blood is in high demand and necessary for hospitals in war zones.
Beyond the need for blood is the need for blood platelets. Blood can be broken down into three parts: plasma, cells and platelets.
While the cells carry oxygen to the brain, platelets help the body clot its wounds.
“We use them for surgeries and for cancer patients, both children and adults,” said Brian Richter, NMCSD medical technician.
NMCSD is eager to come back to the depot in hopes that it will be able to assist in the war on terrorism by saving lives in the operating room and on the battle field, according to Doreen Rekoski, public affairs specialist.
Platelets can also be used to extend the amount of time a patient might have while doctors look for a treatment, or until patients can develop their own clots to close the wound.
Rekoski said NMCSD is in high demand of platelets due to the fact that many of its regular donors have deployed or moved away.
Unlike blood cells, platelets have a shelf life of days so demand for them is constant.
Because the process of donating platelets must be done in the hospital through an appointment, many do not know of their ability to donate.
“That is part of the problem,” said Rekoski. “We try, but it’s hard because we can’t come to them. They have to come to us. We have an (Intensive Care Unit) patient from (Marine Corps Base) Camp Pendleton. He needs platelets.”
To find more information about the process, donors may call Bennie Griffith or Brian Richter at 619-532-7846.
Donating blood is a worthy goal. However, the article is misleading. Whole blood can be made into platelets but the type of platelets the article addresses are aphereis platelets which are equivqlent to (roughly) 6 units of platelets from whole blood. All that being said, they only need to pick up the phone and get platelets from the San Diego Blood Center if the shortage is so critical.
and be charged for it.
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