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Letter to the editor

A living gift

By Tamara El-Khoury, Times Staff Writer
Published February 25, 2008

Wendy Knaack, a cancer patient, receives blood during a transfusion in the IV therapy area at the Powell Cancer Center of Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater. Knaack, receiving blood for her first time, is a longtime blood donor.
	[Dirk Shadd | Times]

ADVERTISEMENT [Dirk Shadd | Times] Technicians place a pint of donated blood into a machine that works to separate plasma from red blood at the Florida Blood Services headquarters in St. Petersburg. [Dirk Shadd | Times] George Cretekos, 61, squeezes a ball to help the blood flow while donating at the Florida Blood Services donor center in Clearwater. Cretekos, a Clearwater City Council member, is a 35-gallon donor of his O-positive blood.

Donation

George Cretekos' blood is in high demand. The 61-year-old Clearwater City Council member's blood type is O-positive, meaning he can donate to almost anyone. He donates blood platelets every month. The process takes 90 minutes but allows him to donate more often. Platelets are cells in blood that help the clotting process.

On his regular visit earlier this month, he learned that there was a shortage of his blood type. So he returned Wednesday to donate a unit of whole blood. This process takes about 15 minutes.

"It's a way of giving back to the community, helping people you don't even know who need help," he said. "One of these days I may get sick and need help."

Processing

Each unit of donated blood undergoes 14 tests for various parasites and viruses, such as HIV and hepatitis.

The testing center at Florida Blood Service's headquarters in St. Petersburg handles blood samples from more than 2,000 donors every day and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

All blood is tested within 48 hours of donation. When whole blood is donated, red cells are separated from the plasma. Then platelets are separated from plasma. One unit can help save or sustain three lives.

Red blood cells - which carry oxygen through the body - are refrigerated and have a shelf life of 42 days. Platelets - which go to patients who have bleeding problems, such as those who just had surgery - are kept at room temperature and are good for five days. Plasma - which contains substances not found in platelets and is also used to treat bleeding complications -can be frozen and is good for up to a year.

"Everything we do here is because of donors," said director of donor services, Dan "the Bloodman" Eberts.

Transfusion

Wendy Knaack is a five-gallon blood donor who grew up in England and was involved with a mobile blood unit. She wore a Florence Nightingale-type outfit and traveled to prisons and universities to collect blood.

This time, she is on the receiving end. In November, the Belleair resident, avid traveler and sailor was diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer.

Last week, she was at the Powell Cancer Center at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, where she received her first donation of red blood cells to boost her low count. The process takes hours.

"Hopefully it'll give me my zip back again," she said.

Fast Facts:

3rd Florida Blood Services, a nonprofit, is the third-largest donor testing service in the country.

30 Other blood and medical centers outside Tampa Bay have their donations tested by Florida Blood Services.

425 People who benefit daily from blood donations in the Tampa Bay area.

4 Counties served by Florida Blood Services: Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Pasco.

9 out of 10 People who live to be 70 will need a transfusion.

5 Percentage of people eligible to donate who actually do.

Shortage: There is less than a two-day supply of blood types A-, B-, O-, AB-

Donating 101

-Got a tattoo? You must wait a year after getting inked before donating.

-Those getting the shingles vaccine must wait four weeks.

-You must be healthy, at least 110 pounds and 16 years old.

Information

1-800-68 BLOOD or www.fbsblood.org.

[Last modified February 24, 2008, 20:29:14]