Author Archives for Stanford Blood Center

The Safe Blood Africa Project: How SBC Donors Can Help

January 10, 2012 10:27 am Published by Comments Off on The Safe Blood Africa Project: How SBC Donors Can Help

By Amanda Baker, Communications Intern, Stanford Blood Center

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.


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But I Was in Such a Good Mood This Morning!

January 6, 2012 9:28 am Published by Comments Off on But I Was in Such a Good Mood This Morning!

In 1989, just six months after marrying my young bride, I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. My wife and I were thrust into the world of cancer, and we watched our hopes and dreams shatter in an instant. At twenty-six years of age, I was told by doctors at the City of Hope National Medical Center that my prognosis was "poor." But after nearly a year and a half of intensive chemotherapy, brain radiation, bone marrow biopsies and countless other procedures, I emerged on the other side of my disease, in remission and thankful for the blessing of each new day.


Discovering Resources in the Community

December 16, 2011 9:58 am Published by Comments Off on Discovering Resources in the Community

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.


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Blood Drive Birthday Bash

December 15, 2011 10:02 am Published by Comments Off on Blood Drive Birthday Bash

At a blood donor recognition event last year, Janet Silberman, a 150-time donor, sat in the audience and listened to Larry Frederick, a retired police officer, thank each and every individual in the room for saving his life. Many years earlier, he experienced a life-threatening event that required immediate blood transfusions. His story could have been terribly tragic. But instead, the blood was available and it saved his life. He now rides his bicycle across the country setting up blood drives and personally thanking the donors.


The Safe Blood Africa Project: The Trip

December 13, 2011 1:17 pm Published by Comments Off on The Safe Blood Africa Project: The Trip

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By Amanda Baker, Communications Intern, Stanford Blood Center

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.


5 Ways to Stay Healthy Through the Holiday Season

December 8, 2011 1:27 pm Published by Comments Off on 5 Ways to Stay Healthy Through the Holiday Season

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By Melissa Ramos, volunteer guest-blogger for Stanford Blood Center

Staying healthy through this season can be especially challenging. It seems that all around you, people have the sniffles or a cough. Taking good care of yourself is key to preventing the flu. Here are a few tips to help keep yourself strong and healthy this year.


Living with Type 1 Diabetes

December 6, 2011 12:10 pm Published by Comments Off on Living with Type 1 Diabetes

By Marina Basina, M.D., a diabetes expert and Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine - Endocrinology, Gerontology, Metabolism at Stanford University

Type I diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the body's immune system inappropriately destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Insulin is a key hormone which moves glucose into the cells and allows it to be utilized for energy and growth. Without insulin, glucose rises in the bloodstream, causing an abnormally high level of sugar in the blood.


Tiny Phlebotomists

December 2, 2011 8:21 am Published by Comments Off on Tiny Phlebotomists

By Billie Rubin, Hemoglobin's Catabolic Cousin, reporting from the labs of Stanford Blood Center

Historically, certain species of leeches have been used in medicine for blood-letting. These tiny phlebotomists were used in areas that were "too sensitive or confined for the lancet or other blood-letting instruments" like the gums, lips, fingers, and nose.


#WhyIGiveBlood: Because of My Dad

November 30, 2011 10:40 am Published by Comments Off on #WhyIGiveBlood: Because of My Dad

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Many of our donors have unique stories about why they started giving blood. Through our #WhyIGiveBlood campaign, we are taking the opportunity to highlight some of them as an inspiration for others. This first piece in the series is by Tami Turner, a long-time, dedicated SBC blood donor.

My father is the reason I'm a 300+ unit donor. I grew up in the hills above Peninsula Hospital, for which my father was an on-call whole blood donor. He had AB blood, and would be called sometimes in the middle of the night to go down and donate. When he died prematurely in 1985, it occurred to me that we were losing a whole generation of donors from WWII & Korean War eras, and that I needed to step up to the plate!


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I’d Rather Be in the Bahamas

November 23, 2011 9:23 am Published by Comments Off on I’d Rather Be in the Bahamas

As Jennifer Flowers sat in a hospital bed on January 8, 2010, she would have much rather been on a beach on one of the tropical islands she preferred to frequent. Walking through the surf on a sandy beach in Hawaii, the Bahamas, Barbados, Antigua, Bermuda, or Jamaica during one of her vacations was her idea of living. But that day, she was receiving a bone marrow transplant at Stanford Hospital that would keep her alive.