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Rock the Marrow 2012 
When I first met Jamie Gaillard in the summer of 2010 she was in the fight of her life. Doctors had diagnosed Jamie with leukemia earlier that year and she was undergoing chemotherapy, receiving regular blood and platelet transfusions and awaiting a bone marrow transplant. Despite everything she was going through Jamie always kept a smile on her face. Jamie’s leukemia diagnosis caught her off guard. She had been feeling tired and week for a while, but chalked it up to working long hours at the Trinity Broadcasting Network and at her church, Calvary Assembly of God. She was shocked when she learned she had a potentially fatal disease. After all, she was just 25 years old, in good shape and thought she had her whole life ahead of her. Doctors told her that her best shot at survival would be to have a bone marrow transplant, but none of her family members were a match. That’s when Jamie turned to the National Bone Marrow Registry to see if a stranger could help. Hospital staff warned her not to get her hopes up too high because it’s often difficult to match patients with donors. Jamie’s faith never wavered and she found not one, but two perfect bone marrow matches. Though she was relieved, Jamie couldn’t help but think of all the patients in the hospital that may not find a bone marrow match. When she learned about Terrell Wilson, a 21-year-old leukemia patient who died on Christmas day because he couldn’t find a bone marrow match, Jamie knew she had to do something to help. Jamie came up with Rock the Marrow, a blood and bone marrow drive hosted at Calvary Assembly of God in conjunction with a music festival. The first event was held on Jamie’s birthday and she was so excited that other people would be given life on the day she received life. Jamie said, “I just believe that maybe God is allowing me to go through this because He wants me to reach someone, even if it’s so save one other life by getting the word out there for the registry and how to donate and even donating blood because that’s really important in this whole thing.” Shortly after Rock the Marrow 2010, Jamie underwent her bone marrow transplant, but her body rejected the marrow from the donor. Later that year she underwent a second bone marrow transplant, but that one didn’t work either. Though she was in the fight of her life I remember Jamie saying, “People going through things, they just have to remember that it’s not a death sentence and there’s no reason to give up. As long as you can hold on to something, remember that the process could be for a reason and just remember to look for that reason to look for something positive in everything you go through and that’s important and will keep you going.” The medical community said there was nothing else that could be done to cure Jamie from leukemia. Yet, she didn’t let her prognosis shake her faith or her passion for helping others. Jamie attended Calvary Assembly of God’s church service via skype and delivered an inspiring sermon from her hospital room shortly before she succumbed to leukemia in January 2011. Jamie’s legacy lives on. Rock the Marrow is now in its third year and will be held on July 22 from 9am-2pm at Calvary Assembly of God in Winter Park, Fl. Each year the event helps save hundreds of lives through blood donation and inspires many to join the National Bone Marrow Registry. (Book an appointment HERE). Jamie’s friends and family say she’s smiling down on them as her congregation gives the gift of life in her honor. Bike Tours Meets US Surgeon General 
When I first met the Be a Hero Bike Tour crew in Palm Beach their enthusiasm was palpable as they began their month-long bike ride to Washington D.C.. I followed the group for the first leg of their trip as they pedaled their way up the Florida coast and their excitement never waned and three weeks later the crew was still going strong as I met up with them in Washington D.C.. A crowd of cheers and loved ones greeted the cyclists as they ended their 1,000 mile journey at the Department of Health and Human Services. US Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin gave members of the team a certificate of appreciation and autographed their jerseys. She also held a private meeting with the group to brainstorm ideas on how to increase blood donations. After cycling for a month, touting the importance of blood donation, it was only appropriate that the group ended their journey with a blood drive. Several cyclists practiced what they preached and gave the gift of life. The road to Washington wasn’t always an easy one. The team battled the blazing Florida sun, trudged up treacherous Georgia hills and even suffered a few spills along the way. Their RV driver even ended up in the hospital after suffering the effects of an undiagnosed heart condition. But, perhaps the most devastating blow came seven days into the trip when Gibbs Antoine, the young cancer patient and blood recipient who sparked Van Duzer’s passion for blood donation, passed away at the age of six. A month and half ago this group barely knew each other and few had ever cycled more than 20 miles, now they share a bond like no other. The group laughed together, cried together, saved lives together and continues to inspire blood donors across America.
110 Gallon Donor 
A crowd of cheering phlebotomists and donors recently greeted George Soper as he took his spot in the Superhero corner of the Rockledge Branch. The group was celebrating Soper donating 110 gallons. Soper began donating blood in the Navy and has been giving blood and platelets at the Rockledge branch for the past 20 years. Hitting 110 gallon means a lot to Soper because it means he’s given the equivalent of two 55 gallon drums and saved more than 2,400 lives. As a teacher Soper inspired his students to think about the act of giving blood and it gives him great pride when he sees former students in the blood center. Soper says he knew a few people who received transfusions when he was in the military, but doesn’t think people should have to be personally impacted by a blood recipient to give the gift of life. He says, “We don’t get the opportunity to help people that often in our lives, to really make a difference, and they don’t need to come up to you and shake your hand and do all of those kind of things. You know that you made a difference in some people’s lives and that’s what we’re here for is to make a difference in some people’s lives and that feels great.” Soper says his next goal is to hit 165 gallons because that will be the equivalent of three 55 gallon drums and nearly 4,000 lives saved.
Hemochromatosis 
For years Kimberly Taranowski’s life revolved around caring for her cancer-stricken mother. After her passing, Kimberly expected things to be difficult as she dealt with her grief. She began losing weight and started having trouble walking and completing every day activities. Her hair even started to fall out. Kimberly attributed all of it to grief. “My menstrual cycle stopped, which I thought was odd. I thought that’s just stress or maybe I’m going through early menopause and then I started having trouble with my feet and then my legs started hurting. At first it felt like a tingling and then it was so excruciating that just by having the sheet touch my legs I was in agony.” When the symptoms persisted Kimberly began to think it wasn’t the grief and she might be suffering from something fatal. A series of tests revealed she was suffering from hemochromatosis. That’s a genetic condition which causes iron to build up in the body and can lead to heart disease and organ damage. Kimberly began taking medication and getting her blood drawn about every three months. Florida’s Blood Centers Medical Director Dr. Richard Gammon says each milliliter of blood that is drawn contains about one milligram of iron. Thus, when phlebotomies are done on people who suffer from hemochromatosis, it removes the iron stores from their system, allowing the individual to minimize the risk of developing organ damage from having too much iron in their system. This not only helps the hemochromatosis patient, but it helps other patients as well. Dr. Gammon says if the hemochromatosis patient meets blood donor eligibility requirements, their blood can be used by patients in our local hospitals. Though she occasionally has complications with her hands and feet, Kimberly is doing a lot better today. She manages her condition and takes pride in knowing she’s helping save lives with each phlebotomy she receives.
Storm Strains Supply 
With her dark skies, gusts of wind and torrential downpours, Tropical Storm Debby has battered the state of Florida and strained an already low blood supply. Blood centers tend to struggle in the summer months because schools are out and many people are on vacation or busy with activities, so they don’t come in and donate blood. Now that Debby is creating nasty weather throughout the state we are seeing even fewer people coming into to give the gift of life. Despite the reduced number of donors, accident victims, trauma patients, cancer patients and other patients in need of transfusions remain in our local hospitals, which means the need for blood doesn’t hunker down during a storm. It’s important for people to give blood before a storm hits, so it will be on hand should a hurricane or other natural disaster disrupt the donation process. If a hurricane hits the state of Florida, we are fully prepared to keep blood flowing to our local hospitals. We have several hubs throughout the state that are able to process blood and get it where it needs to go Tropical Storm Debby is the first named storm of 2012 to make its way into the Gulf of Mexico and she’s a good reminder of why we need to add donating blood to our hurricane checklists. Medical Minute 
A few drinks during pregnancy may be okay, dogs may prevent childhood asthma and you may want to think twice before reaching for the remote control in a hotel room. According to a new study out of Denmark…children whose mothers drank up to eight alcoholic beverages per week during pregnancy did not have a high risk of attention or IQ deficits than the children of women who did not drink. However, women who consumed more than nine alcoholic drinks were at an increased risk of having children who suffered from attention problems. While researchers admit more studies are necessary they do advice women abstain from alcohol during pregnancy. The microbes living on your dog may help strengthen your immune system and even prevent childhood asthma. That’s according to a new study presented at this year’s General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology. Researchers say bacteria found in the dust of homes with dogs may have protective effects against RSV, a virus that increases the chance of developing asthma. They say this is the first step in creating a therapy to protect children from RSV and therefore preventing asthma. That hotel room may not be as clean as it looks….researchers from the University of Houston found bathroom sinks, floors, light switches and remote controls are the top hot spots for aerobic bacteria in hotel rooms. However, this doesn’t mean hotel rooms will make you sick. The study wasn’t designed to test for specific pathogens that cause illness, but it may be a good idea to wipe the surfaces down with a sanitizing wipe upon check-in. World Blood Donor Day 
Once a year on June 14th, we honor those that give the gift of life. World Blood Donor Day recognizes blood donors across the planet and this year our Central Florida donors form a human blood drop to celebrate this day made just for them. Dozens of donors wore red t-shirts as they gathered at the University of Central Florida eagerly awaiting their moment to shine. They pass the time by learning their blood type and registering for the Orlando Pint Club. At high noon they take their place outside of Knights Plaza. Using a red ribbon as a guide they form a human blood drop that can be seen from the ground and the air. As they go their separate ways, the participants say they are happy to be a part of the first human blood drop in Orlando. They also say they were inspired by each others stories and are grateful to bond with others who give the gift of life through blood donation. Florida’s Blood Centers and the Orlando Pint Club want to make the World Blood Donor Day human blood drop an annual event Biking for Blood 
17-year-old Joseph Nobel wouldn’t be alive today if blood donors hadn’t saved his mother’s life before he was born. Nobel is one of four Boys & Girls Club youth members who will ride more than 1,000 miles on a bicycle to raise awareness for blood donation. Van Duzer Foundation President Scott Van Duzer, will lead the children from Palm Beach to Washington D.C.. He even made arrangements for the team to meet with the U.S. Surgeon General upon their arrival to discuss the importance of blood donation and brain storm ideas to increase the number of blood donors. Van Duzer says he’s met many families through his organization that have been impacted by blood donations. In fact, his mother has received multiple units of blood. That’s why he wanted to do something big to increase the number of blood donors and educate the next generation about the importance of giving blood. Van Duzer got the idea to bike to Washington D.C. from Larry Frederick. Frederick rode across America on a bicycle after receiving more than 100 units of blood following a bad accident. Frederick will be with the cyclists ever step of the way and he says he’s proud of the ripple effect he’s created. The team will stop in 30 cities over the 30 day period to host blood drives and/or educate members of the local Boys & Girls Club about the importance of blood donation. Watch Video From Day Two of the Ride See the team compare tan lines & learn the hula as they roll into Melbourne See the team take tour of Florida's Blood Centers in Orlando See team speak to Boys and Girls Club in Flagler County
Medical Minute May 24, 2012 
If you’re a man, you may want to think twice before getting a PSA test; walking may boost brain activity and men are living longer than ever. A top panel of U.S. medical experts say no man, of any age, should routinely be screened for prostate cancer using the popular PSA test. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says the the risks of population-wide screening outweigh the benefits. The panel states the test often results in false positives, and because it can’t tell how aggressive or benign a cancer may be, doctors and patients are often in the dark about whether the tumor requires treatment and that PSA screening and early treatment only prevent one prostate cancer death out of every 1,000 men screened. A new study in the Journal of Affective Disorders found walking for just 50 minutes can have a significant impact on both your memory and mood. Researchers found that walking in a natural setting improved memory by as much as 16% over those that walked in an urban setting, but regardless of where you take a stroll…your brain will reap the benefits. There’s good news for men when it comes to life expectancy according to a recent report from Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. They found life expectancy for U.S. males grew by 4.6 years between the years 1989 and 2009 while predicted lifespan for American women rose by 2.7 years. Modern men will live to be an average age of 76.2 versus 81.3 for women. Blood Benefits Three Generations of Women with Heart Disease 
On a warm spring evening in Central Florida, Gloria and Stephen Boisvert sit on their deck watching their children play in the swimming pool. The Boisvert’s treasure family moments like these because they have been few and far between lately. Stephen is in the military and has been overseas for more than a year, but on this day he is home on military leave. The couple actually met in the Army nearly 20 years ago. Gloria says it was love at first site, “We had just arrived at a military training and I kind of got sight of him and said oh, that’s going to be mine.” The pair got married a year later and lived an Army lifestyle, moving to a new location every couple of years. Eventually they settled down and had two children- Justin and Kaitlyn. Life was pretty hectic when Gloria began experiencing what she thought was heartburn. She said, “I kind of dismissed it to be honest with you, initially, but as the heartburn progressed and got worse I started to get very concerned to the point that one night it woke me from my sleep. At that point I made the decision to visit my doctor… Within a few minutes of the stress test my life changed forever. “ It turns out; Gloria had three blocked arteries and underwent immediate cardiac bypass surgery to make repairs. Her family was stunned. Gloria had always been in great shape. She ate well, exercised and was the last person they thought would have a cardiac condition. Gloria underwent immediate cardiac bypass surgery and when she awoke from the operation she was surprised to see a bag of blood hanging above her. Gloria needed several units of blood from donors to sustain life during the operation. She said, “I shudder to think what I would have missed out on. I mean I have two beautiful children and I’ve watched them grow over the last four years…this gift of life that I had that someone took the time to give me…had I not been there I would have missed everything.” Seven percent of all donated red blood cells and 12% of all donated platelets goes to treat cardiac patients. When it comes to cardiac care, every second counts. That’s a lesson Bernice Muroski-Bown knows all too well. She is a 60-year-old Kindergarten teacher who spends her days teaching the next generation their ABC’s and 123’s, but few doctors thought Bernice would live to the age of one, let alone 60. She was born with a cardiac condition called coarctation of the aorta and was one of the first children in America to have a Teflon graft put in. The surgery was a success. Bernice recovered well and ws able to grow up, get married and start a family. Like Gloria, she had a boy and a girl. Life was going pretty well until Bernice began to feel sick. Her doctor said she probably had the flu, but she decided to get a second opinion. While she was at the doctor’s office the Teflon graft she had put in as a child separated from the artery. She needed immediate blood transfusions. She said, “If it wasn’t for that blood people donated, I wouldn’t have had any. That blood was there waiting for me and they gave it to me right away because until they got me into surgery, blood was spewing out and so they were giving me blood knowing it was going out and so they rushed me into surgery quickly, but there was a while where it wasn’t stopping. It kept coming out, so the people that had given me their blood, saved my life. I don’t know who they are.” Like Bernice, Hannah Reynolds was born with heart disease. In fact, she was born with 10 of 35 known heart defects as well as transposition of the organs, which means all of her organs were on the opposite side of her body. Her mother, Erica Shores, will never forget those terrifying first few days of Hannah’s life. “The first week or so was really touch and go…her levels were just not where they wanted them to be. She did end up needing to receive O-Negative blood….Neither myself or her father was able to do that for her, so luckily somebody was able to provide to the bank and she recovered well and was able to go home 28 days later.” Two heart surgeries later, Hannah is a happy, healthy five-year-old who enjoys coloring and playing on her swing set. Her mother is grateful to the doctors and the blood donors that gave Hannah the gift of life. Gloria, Bernice and Hannah represent three generations of women with heart disease and three generations of blood recipients proving that blood truly is the gift of life. It spans the generations and gives cardiac patients the promise of time. |
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