Amy Malvase hadn’t given much thought to the idea of blood donation until spending time at her dad’s side during his treatment for a gastrointestinal bleed. He struggled with low hemoglobin, requiring several blood transfusions. “There was one time when he needed a more urgent transfusion,” she recalls. “We were so fortunate that the blood…

Annie Shiau’s journey as a blood donor began when she was just 16 as an American living overseas in Taipei. Back then, she would often pass by the bloodmobiles and feel a pull to help, but because she wasn’t a resident, she wasn’t eligible to donate. “As a teenager, I wanted to help, so it…

Many of our donors have a personal motivation behind donating blood. Julie Fogarty, from a closely connected family with a unique medical history, exemplifies this. Here, she recounts her family’s enduring struggle with leukemia, spanning three generations, and her deep gratitude for blood donors whose generosity helped extend her relatives’ lives. By Julie Fogarty My…

By Julie Peachey, Public Relations Officer We first introduced you to young Hadley in January 2021 when she was just six years old and a year into her treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Hadley had started kindergarten in the fall of 2019 when she began experiencing pain in her legs, causing her to limp and…

As of Thursday, October 19, Stanford Blood Center (SBC) has implemented the updated FDA blood donation guidelines, which eliminate questions based on sexual orientation. We look forward to welcoming those who may be newly eligible to support local patients through blood donation. Stanford Blood Center is committed to achieving an inclusive blood donation process that...

Blood donations are subject to a battery of tests that play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of the blood supply. These tests are designed to identify diseases that can potentially be transmitted through blood transfusions. Among the well-known pathogens that are screened for are hepatitis and HIV. However, there are lesser-known threats like…

Blood donation is a lifeline for our community, with more than 15 million blood products used annually in the United States. Every two seconds, someone in the country requires blood, meaning blood donation directly impacts our community, saving lives and providing crucial support to those in need. Blood donation helps our community in many ways,…

By Samm Baker, Communications Strategist Throughout her remarkable 50-year journey with Stanford, Wendy Leong has exemplified unwavering dedication as an integral part of the Histocompatibility Laboratory. During her tenure, she has been a firsthand witness (and integral part of) to the laboratory’s evolution, from its early days as the Tissue Typing Laboratory to its current…

By Samantha Baker, Communications Strategist Bay Area local Tabitha Jackson knows firsthand the vital importance of a stable and readily available blood supply for those in need. Her son, who had five congenital heart defects resulting in three open heart surgeries before the age of 5, became the driving force behind her decision to donate…

By Samm Baker, Communications Strategist Donating blood is a simple, selfless act that can profoundly impact someone's life who needs blood. However, for Katie Dean, blood donation impacted her life unexpectedly on the day she decided to donate. In 2020, at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Katie, the Administrative Director of Business Operations &...

Written by Krista Thomas, Communications Strategist, with medical direction and expertise from Dr. Tho D. Pham, Chief Medical Officer With the rise of several artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) applications and uses such as ChatGPT, “deep fake” AI-generated images, and even AI song contests, we are constantly encountering new areas wherein AI has the potential…

Written by Krista Thomas, Communications Strategist, with medical direction and expertise from Dr. Suchi Pandey, Chief Medical Officer   One of the most common concerns folks have around giving blood—even those who do so regularly—is how their body reacts and responds to the blood they’ve lost. While you are certainly losing something temporarily in giving…