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Lance's Story 
Over the years, I’ve met many blood and bone marrow recipients who would not be alive today if it weren’t for the generosity of blood donors and my former colleague Lance Williams is one of them. I met Lance at the Tampa NBC affiliate, WFLA, more than a decade ago and his strength and determination to beat cancer continues to inspire me. For years, Lance reported on criminal stories, but he never imagined he’d be on the death row known as leukemia, a sentence imposed after a simple blood test. Lance hadn’t been feeling well for quite some time. His blood pressure was elevated and he felt exhausted. That may not sound that unusual considering he had a three-year-old son, a 9-week-old daughter and a very stressful job, but he went to his physician to get checked out. The doctor told him there was nothing wrong. Fortunately, Lance got a second opinion and a blood test. The blood test showed leukemia cells in his system and doctors say he wouldn’t have made it two more weeks. That blood test set the wheels in motion for a whirlwind of treatment, which included chemotherapy, medication and blood and platelets from donors. Lance describes treatment as being in a daze. The drugs and chemotherapy made him feel like a different person whose body was failing. Eventually Lance started feeling a little better. He returned to work and was trying to get back into the swing of things, when another blood test changed his course of fate yet again. This blood test showed that the leukemia was back and this time it was back with a vengeance. Lance said, “It was as if I climbed to the top of a tall building and jumped off and survived and in December I thought now I’m going to have to climb back to the top of that tall building and this time I’m not going to survive.” Chemotherapy, medication and blood products would not be enough this time around. Lance needed a bone marrow transplant to sustain life, but like 70% of patients in need of a transplant, he didn’t have a matching donor in his family. Lance turned to the National Bone Marrow Registry for assistance, but he didn’t have any luck finding a match there either. Doctors told him there was nothing else that could be done and Lance and his family prepared for the worst. But, as luck would have it, the FDA approved the drug Gleevec the next day. This drug was not approved to treat the kind of leukemia Lance was suffering from, but it was approved to treat the Philadelphia chromosome, the one thing that made his cancer so deadly. Lance took six pills a day and eventually went into remission. During that time, an 18-year-old joined the National Bone Marrow Registry and she was a perfect match for Lance. Today, Lance is doing well. He’s cancer-free and left the news business for a career in real estate. He says, “just God’s providence in providing the Gleevec when he did, providing Erin when he did, providing all of those blood donors throughout all of those many, many months. I don’t know how many dozens of gallons of blood there must have been involved. Just here in Tampa, I probably had 110 donors and then in California, I probably had three times that many. So, many, many, many gallons of blood from countless donors, who really did save my live, so when people become blood donors, the joy is that you can really save a life without having to lose your own. The joy of being a transplant donor is, the joy of being a bone marrow transplant donor is you can save a life without giving your own.”
Peni's Story 
Peni Miller is the first face you see when you walk into the blood center in Saint Petersburg. She always offers a smile and a kind word. It’s easy to see that she believes in the blood centers life saving mission and for Peni this is more than just a job. Peni’s two older sisters, Isabelle and Jacqueline, were born with sickle cell disease though it went undiagnosed until their teenage years. She remembers the girls being in constant pain and says the hospital was their second home. Normal red blood cells are circular and move easily throughout the blood vessels, but in patients with sickle cell disease, the red blood cells are sickle or crescent shaped. They are stiff and sticky and can form clumps, causing pain and even organ damage. Transfusing sickle patients with blood from healthy donors put fresh red blood cells back into circulation. Peni says her sisters received so many blood transfusions over the years that she lost count, but she knows they wouldn’t have survived as long as they did without the donated blood. Peni suffers from sickle cell trait, but doesn’t show symptoms of sickle cell disease. For a long time she was unable to donate blood and that’s why she felt it was her mission in life to recruit blood donors. Though her sisters have passed on, Peni keeps them close to her heart and has their photos in frames shaped liked angles on her desk, so she can share the story of “her angels” with blood donors who are about to give the gift of life. Just Keep Swimming-Talia Meets Ellen 
13-year-old Talia Castellano is one of the most inspiring girls I’ve ever met. She was diagnosed with a form of cancer called nueroblastoma on Valentine’s Day 2007. She’s relapsed three times since then and recently found out that not only did the cancer spread to her bones, but she also has pre-leukemia, which is a lethal combination. Over the years, Talia has become an internet sensation after she began posting video make-up tutorials online. Her videos have been viewed by more than 14 million people across the globe, but it was her heartbreaking v-log about her recent prognosis that landed her in the mainstream media. Her video entitled “IDK what to say” offers a real, harsh look into the reality of childhood cancer. Since her post, Talia’s received phone calls from the Today Show and People Magazine as well as numerous other media outlets across the world, but it was her dream to meet Ellen DeGeneres. Her dream recently became a reality. Talia not only met the Day Time Talk Show Host, but appeared on her show. Talia and Ellen talked about make-up and her strength to “just keep swimming” through life. During the show Cover Girl Cosmetics made Talia and honorary cover girl and gave her a new make-up table as well as a check for $20,000. Talia has received countless blood and platelet transfusions over the years and often speaks about the need for blood donors on behalf of Florida’s Blood Centers. I The Hug Seen Around the World 
It’s the hug that’s been seen around the world- Florida’s Blood Centers Ambassador Scott Van Duzer giving President Barak Obama one of his signature bear hugs. The Commander in Chief stopped by Big Apple Pizza in Fort Pierce to commend Van Duzer for his charity work and his dedication to saving lives through blood donation. Van Duzer regularly hosts blood drives at Big Apple Pizza and even rode a bicycle from Palm Beach to Washington D.C. to raise awareness for blood donation. Van Duzer is also the mastermind behind the annual Be a Hero Day blood drive, which generates more than 1,000 units of blood. The President remarked on Van Duzer’s stature, saying he is the largest pizza-man he’s ever seen. He also joked about building muscles by eating some of Van Duzer’s pizza. Van Duzer‘s famous embrace landed him in the spotlight. Van Duzer landed on the front page of the New York Times and his bear hug led evening newscasts across the country. By the next morning Van Duzer’s famous embrace was the hot topic on many morning shows. He spent the first part of the day fielding interviews from the likes of MSNBC to Anderson Cooper to television and radio stations across the world. He even gave some reporters a great big bear hug. Van Duzer told reporters that he and the President spoke about the Van Duzer Foundation as well as the need for blood donations. He even invited Obama to attend the Fourth Annual Be a Hero Day Blood Drive on November 14th. Hero of the Month 
Orlando ABC affiliate WFTV and Florida’s Blood Centers have been saving lives for the past 30 years and Bob Opsahl has rolled up his sleeve at every blood drive. Opsahl has donated more than three gallons of blood over the past three decades and has helped save about 75 people in our local hospitals. He says he donates blood because it makes him feel good to give back to the community and he enjoys the health benefits of donating blood. Opsahl is passing on his blood donation tradition to the next generation. His nephew began giving blood at Boone High School and plans on following in his uncle’s footsteps by being a local hero, saving lives. Pentagon Survivor Encourages Donation  Volusia County resident Ophelia Beier is
haunted by the sounds of September 11, 2001.“I cannot forget the smell. I can’t forget them screaming for help. I can’t forget the running. Glass was flying…smoke was everywhere…it was black…you know, it was just like the blind leading the blind-you didn’t know which way or where you were going.” Beier had been working at the Pentagon for nearly a decade on that fateful day that started out like many others. She had been headed to her office the morning of September 11, 2001, when something stopped her in her tracks. “I heard a voice that was telling me that I should turn around and not run into trouble. I literally thought someone was behind me speaking and I turn around and I don’t see anyone and I’m like-who said that?” Ophelia didn’t see anyone behind her, so she continued walking to her office. “And then all of a sudden the voice said, ‘go to your meeting’! The voice was so audible and so strong and so angelical that I knew it was the voice of God. I run toward my meeting and I get on the other side of the building in corridor 15 minutes later where I was headed the plane came into…smashed into my office window…smashed into the Dept. of Army Budget Office where I was going.” 34 out of 37 of Ophelia’s co-workers were killed in the attack. “You know-you could just smell the charred bodies. You know the building just burned for days and days and days you could see it and you could see this huge hole where the plane came in and I was always thinking that was the hole that I felt in my heart. “ While Ophelia was living a nightmare, Americans across the country were flocking to the closest blood center to give the gift of life. In fact, more people donated blood on September 11, 2001 than any other day in American history. Florida’s Blood Centers Interim CEO Mike Pratt remembers long lines of people waiting for a chance to roll up their sleeves in hopes of helping out any victims that may have been found alive. One of those blood donors was Sandra Carr. She says, “I was helping save a life. I was doing what I could here in Florida. We also didn’t know if the attacks were going to continue. We didn’t know what was going to happen in our own backyard at that time. It was just an unpredictable, scary week for everyone in the nation. So to me, knowing that I was able to do my part to help someone that may have been critically injured in New York during that day. My comfort level was wonderful in knowing that I did my part.” As we remember 9/11, Florida’s Blood Centers is encouraging everyone to roll up their sleeves and give the gift of life in honor of those who lost their lives on that tragic day. Donor Bambi Yiannis says,” I think that’s a wonderful way to pay tribute to everyone because donating blood is life-giving and that’s what we all remember from that day is how many lives were lost, but maybe we should change it on the anniversary and donate and give everybody the new memory of all the lives saved by those donating blood.” As for Ophelia, she retired from the Pentagon and became an author and an ordained reverend. She says, “Every year it relieves my heart just a little bit to know that an entire nation is thinking and remembering my friends. People want to do something for 9-11 and if you want to do something for the anniversary of 9-11 donate blood. Do it today.” WATCH VIDEO Medical Minute 
If you’re planning a pregnancy, you may want to wait until after age 35; sudden cardiac death may be linked to sickle cell trait and if you do shift work, you may be at a greater risk for heart attack or stroke. Women who give birth in their late 30’s and early 40’s may have a decreased risk of endometrial cancer. That’s according to a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Researchers found that women who gave birth to their last child between the ages of 35 and 39 reduced their risk of endometrial cancer by 32 percent, compared to women who delivered their last baby by age 25. Researchers aren’t exactly sure why this occurs, but some say that hormone levels during pregnancy are beneficial in preventing cancer at older ages Sickle cell trait may be responsible for sudden cardiac death in African-American athletes. Researchers studied 32 years of data from the U.S. Sudden Death in Athletes Registry and found convincing evidence that that sickle cell trait played a role in these deaths. Researchers say understanding the risks, mechanisms and event triggers of the sickle cell trait may allow life-saving alterations in training methods to be implemented. If you work nights you may want to pay attention to your heart. A new study published in the British Medical Journal finds shift workers are 24 percent more likely to suffer a coronary event, 23 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack and five percent more likely to suffer a stroke compared to regular daytime employees. However, shift work was not linked to an increase risk of death.
Volunteers Log More than 14,000 Hours 
Our volunteers are at the heart of Florida’s Blood Centers. In fact, you would have to work 24/7 for about two years to equal the amount of time our volunteers contributed to Florida’s Blood Centers last year. We recently honored our dedicated volunteers during an appreciation luncheon at the Rosen Centre Hotel. This annual event attracts our volunteers from all over the state and it was nice to see people from high school students to senior citizens being recognized for their hard work. Many students volunteer with Florida’s Blood Centers to accumulate volunteer service hours and work experience. They do things such as recruiting donors at blood drives and assisting with office-work. Volunteers Ricardo Yance and Carolina Narnevz even landed jobs in our tele-recruiting department after learning the ropes through our volunteer program. Florida’s Blood Centers recognized Ambassadors Scott Van Duzer and Raye Deusinger with special awards. Van Duzer hosts regular blood drives with Florida’s Blood Centers, created “Be a Hero Day” and even rode a bicycle from Palm Beach to Washington D.C. to create awareness for blood donation. Deusinger used to write a regular column about the need for blood in the local paper and she created the Okeechobee Blood Round-Up, an annual blood drive that nets more than 500 units of blood. Volunteer Peter Milano also earned top honors after logging more than 9,000 service hours. Volunteers are imperative to the life-saving mission of Florida’s Blood Centers. Thank you for all that you do! Olympic Legacy 
With all eyes on London for the 2012 Olympic Games, I started thinking about U.S Swim Coach Michael Lohberg. He’s a six-time Olympic swim coach who led Olympian Dara Torres to victory. I had the pleasure of meeting Coach Lohberg at his South Florida home in the fall of 2009. I wasn’t there talking about Olympic glory, instead I was talking with him about his constant need for blood and platelets from donors. Coach Lohberg suffered from aplastic anemia. That’s a condition in which the bone marrow doesn’t produce red blood cells. Doctors don’t know what causes it and there is no cure, but blood and platelets from donors can help patients sustain life. Lohberg joked that he received so many transfusions that he doesn’t have any blood of his own anymore. Coach Lohberg’s struggle began at the 2008 Olympic trials. He was suffering from a herniated disc and had excruciating pain in his lower back. He was also feeling tired and weak, but chalked that up to working long hours preparing for the upcoming games. After the trials, Coach Lohberg had surgery on his back. He figured he’d be out of commission for a little while, but back to normal in time for the Bejing Olympics. He was wrong. Doctors described his blood counts as not just low, but catastrophic. He spent the 2008 Olympic games in a room at the National Institutes of Health where they were able to somewhat stabilize him. Blood and platelets from donors were crucial to his survival. He received regular transfusions, which allowed him to continue coaching six days a week at the Coral Springs Aquatic Complex. A surgical mask and a port dangling from his arm are the only tell-tale signs that something was wrong. His health made traveling difficult, but he was able to see his swimmers compete worldwide thanks to the Internet. In April of 2011, Coach Lohberg passed away after a well-fought battle with the disease. He leaves behind an Olympic legacy that spans three decades. He also leaves behind a legacy of hope because his story continues to inspire blood donors to give the gift of life. Medical Minute 
The FDA approves the first drug for HIV prevention, being physically active may work out your mind and your body and losing weight may be as simple as following three easy steps. The drug Truvada has been used as part of an HIV treatment regimen for some time and now the FDA has approved the drug to protect uninfected people against HIV. The FDA says the drug must be taken every day in order to prevent HIV. If it’s only taken sporadically people who get infected may end up with a drug-resistant form of HIV that they can spread to others. A new study out of the University of Pittsburgh shows that exercise may reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and can even increase brain growth in older adults. The study, which was presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference showed older adults without Alzheimer’s who walked for 30-45 minutes three days a week for a year had a 2% increase in their region of the brain that stores important memory. If you want to lose weight and keep it off you may want to keep a food journal, avoid skipping meals and try not to eat out. That’s according to a new study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Researchers found women who followed these habits lost five to eight pounds more than women who didn’t engage in these practices. |
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