Stanford Blood Center Collects 303 Units of Blood at Sharks Foundation “Save a Life”
February, 2011
Attention News Desk: Press Release (for immediate release)
MEDIA CONTACT:
Deanna Bolio (650) 725-3804
dbolio@stanford.edu
STANFORD, Calif. — The Sharks Foundation and Stanford Blood Center teamed up to collect 303 units of blood at the “Save a Life” drive at HP Pavilion on February 19, 2011. At the same event, Be The Match registered 57 new donors to the national marrow donor registry and Donate Life California registered 31 potential organ and tissue donors.
“It is great when a local sports team as popular as our San Jose Sharks chooses to make a life- saving difference for patients in our local hospitals,” Blood Center Account Manager Elisa Manzanares said. “Not only did the Sharks Foundation blood drive help to boost our blood supply during a holiday weekend, but it also helps to create an awareness about the importance of blood donation.”
Donors were invited to watch the morning skate for both the Sharks and that night’s opponent, the Colorado Avalanche. Sharks players Ryane Clowe, Jamal Mayers, Douglas Murray, Scott Nichol, and Niclas Wallin visited donors after the pre-game skate to personally thank those who donated their time and blood.
“Our guys have a busy schedule during the season and none busier than on a game-day,” said Sharks Foundation Manager Jeff Cafuir. “But what’s great about this team and organization is that everybody buys in to the team goal. That philosophy doesn’t stop when the players step off the ice either. They are all aware of what type of work the Sharks Foundation does in the community and continually sacrifice their free time to show their appreciation.”
Also on-hand to greet and thank blood donors was blood recipient Brian Sams, who underwent 13 years of treatment for an immune disorder. “During my 13 years of treatment, I used one vial of gamma globulin every three weeks,” Sams said. “Because it takes about 200 donors to make up one to two vials, it would take half the number of people at this drive for just one treatment!”
An avid Sharks fan, Sams recruited more than a dozen blood donors for this drive—many of them first-timers. There were 93 total first-time donors at this drive.
The 303 units collected were the most for a Stanford Blood Center mobile drive since the 2010 drive at HP Pavilion. For the fourth straight year, the Sharks have won the game played directly after hosting their annual drive.
Donors should be in good health with no cold or flu symptoms. They must eat well prior to donation, drink fluids and present photo identification at the time of donation. The process takes about an hour. For more information or to schedule an appointment online, please call (888) 723-7831 or visit smstaging.stanford.edu/bloodcenter.
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Stanford Blood Center was created at the Stanford University School of Medicine in 1978 to meet the complex transfusion needs of Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, as well as provide tailored blood products and clinical trial services for school researchers. Today the center provides blood products to eight local hospitals and is a recognized leader in the field of transfusion medicine. More information is available at https://bloodcenter-stg.stanford.edu.