Have You Helped Save a Life Today?

Editor's Note: This story originally ran April 8 as part of the Patch Spring Tour. The message is worth repeating, and you'll see this story re-run every time I make my bi-monthly donation.

You’d love to write a check for the American Red Cross or some other humanitarian effort, but just don’t have the financial means.

You’ve thought about spending a few hours volunteering at a local soup kitchen or food pantry, but never seem to have the time.

You want to pack up bags and bags of clothes and drop them off at Goodwill, but you just did that last season and don’t have much else to give.

Still want to help your neighbor with a selfless act? Give blood.

“It doesn’t cost you anything except the gas it costs to get to a donation center,” said Crystal McNeal, spokesperson for BloodCenter of Wisconsin. “It doesn’t take much time, and the impact, it is literally helping save someone’s life or enhancing their life. There isn’t another volunteer opportunity that has that kind of impact. That’s the 'wow' moment.”

To meet the needs of the 58 hospitals in the state it serves, BloodCenter of Wisconsin must average 800 donations per day.  There are 11 donation centers throughout the state, and according to McNeal, BloodCenter of Wisconsin is the only local provider for all area hospitals.

The Greenfield Donor Center was once located on the south side of Southridge Mall in Greendale before moving north of the mall at 7210 W. Edgerton Ave. a few years ago.

“The community has been very, very supportive,” McNeal said. “When we had our grand opening, we had the support of elected officials, emergency responders, the people in the neighborhood and other business merchants.”

The process of giving blood

So, what happens when you donate blood?

A donor must have an ID or a donor card upon checking in at a donation center. After a mini-medical review and physical – a few questions about one’s health history, a check of blood pressure, temperature, pulse and iron level – the donor is either deemed fit or not to donate.

The actual blood draw for whole blood lasts only about 15 minutes. (All locations also accept platelet, plasma and dual red blood donations). After the draw, patients are asked to stick around and have a soft drink, coffee or cookies to boost their sugar level.

Once the blood is collected, it is taken from the donation center or a community drive to the testing center in downtown Milwaukee where it is tested for 11 different transmitted diseases.

Once deemed safe, the blood goes to the center’s hospital services area where all donations are stored until needed by a local hospital.

A call for help

According to McNeal, the number one reason why people say they have never donated is because they’ve never been asked. But once the center gets people through the door, the payoff is substantial.

“When you walk away after you’ve had your Coke or cookies, you can go to your friends and family and say, ‘Guess what I did today? I possibly helped someone with cancer, or someone who was in a car accident, or a premature baby.’

“You can ask yourself, ‘Did I help someone who has a chronic illness like Lupus or sickle cell who needs monthly transfusions?’ People think about the accident victims, but not the people that need it as a therapeutic product. That’s why we need so much.”