DANVILLE, Va. (Sept. 10, 2009) - Danville Regional Medical Center’s Blood Donor Center is in the business of saving lives. To do so, however, the center depends on a constant flow of blood donations coming in to replace the ever present need for blood products.
“There is an ongoing need for blood donations,” Karen Chapelle, donor center coordinator, said. “People have cancer and need blood. Then there are violent crimes and accidents, surgeries and gastro-intestinal bleeds that require a lot of blood. We constantly need blood as well blood products like platelets and plasma.”
Danville Regional likes to have a minimum of 200 to 300 units of blood on hand at all times, but the supply ebbs and flows, Chappelle said. For several days at a time there may be no need for blood, but then it takes only a couple of days to knock the supply down again.
Ensuring a steady supply of blood requires constant creativity.
Last school year, the Blood Donor Center sponsored a scholarship program with Pittsylvania County high schools. Between January and May, the schools donated 465 pints of blood, then the Blood Donor Center awarded a scholarship to one student from the schools coming in first, second and third in percentage of blood donations in the junior and senior classes.
Chappelle is planning a similar drive this year.
The Center also partners with various local businesses to offer prizes for blood donations, including time in a Myrtle Beach condo and gift certificates from Myrtle Beach vendors.
Eldon Nephew from Danville is a cancer patient who is glad that the Blood Donor Center works so hard to have blood on hand. So far this year, he has received 13 pints of blood that have saved his life more than once.
Diagnosed with leukemia at the end of last year, Nephew has had three rounds of chemotherapy. After each one, his body reacts by going into anemia, and he has to receive blood transfusions to restore his red blood count.
Nephew said he was a “rigorous” blood donor in the past, but never thought he would need blood donations himself.
“I donated for a lot of years,” he said. “When they sent me a card, I would go donate. Receiving blood is vital for some people. I don’t know what I would have done without it.”
Nephew also benefitted from people donating blood for him. When his church family at New Life Community Church heard that Nephew needed blood, they donated 40 pints in his name, which he will not have to pay for.
“You’ll never know when you’ll need blood,” Nephew said. “Here I am on the receiving end, and I appreciated everyone who donates.”
The Danville Regional Blood Donor Center is located at the Danville Regional Professional Building at 201 South Main Street across from the hospital in Suite 1300. The Center is open Monday, Thursday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Danville Regional is the leading medical center in the Dan River Region of Virginia and North Carolina. Approximately 140 physicians are on the medical staff. The medical center employs approximately 1,200 people. For additional information, visit http://www.danvillenewsandviews.com.
