Feb 27, 2008 5:33 pm US/Mountain
Bonfils Blood Center Celebrates 65 Years
Written for the Web by CBS4 producer Libby Smith
DENVER (AP) ―
Bonfils Blood Center is celebrating 65 years of saving lives. On Wednesday, Feb. 27, city, state and Bonfils officials gathered on the west steps of the State Capitol to mark the occasion. Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper said Bonfils makes heroes out of people in Denver and across Colorado.
"Heroism comes everyday on the smaller gestures and people giving blood are making one of those contributions on regular basis that allows other people to live," Hickenlooper said.
Throughout its 65 years of service, the blood center has collected 3 million blood donations, and that blood has saved 9 million lives all through voluntary blood donations. When a patient needs blood, the need is usually urgent and can be life threatening. One mother recently recounted how donated blood and a cutting-edge blood transfusion saved her son in 1947.
"We were very fortunate," Elizabeth Sturns, 91, told CBS4.
Sturns' son, Raymond, is now 60 years old. Elizabeth calls him a good son and her miracle baby.
"I knew there would be problems because I'd lost three babies already," Sturns explained.
Doctors told her Raymond's life was in jeopardy because his blood type did not match hers. He was O positive and she was O negative. The positive or negative attached to blood types A, B or O is called Rh. It needs to match between mother and baby.
"It used to be a significant cause of death and really bad disease for kids who had a mismatch blood type with their mother," said Dr. Kevin Land, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer at Bonfils Blood Center.
Despite the dire prognosis, Elizabeth remained hopeful. Doctors were planning to do an exchange transfusion, a procedure never before done in Colorado. They were going to slowing replace every drop of Raymond's blood with new donated blood that matched his mother's.
"They put him in an incubator, rushed him to Children's (Hospital), and he was getting the transfusion before he was 4 hours old," Sturns recalled.
Elizabeth got to see her baby boy for the first time 9 days later. It was an emotional meeting.
"Well, I think I cried a little, but I felt sure he was going to be okay," she said.
Raymond was more than okay. He grew up strong and healthy. Now Raymond is a regular blood donor himself. He's given 7 gallons of blood over the years, hoping to offer the same life saving help he received when he was just hours old.
"I just feel I have the life I'm supposed to have and I do my best to help other people," Raymond said.
Additional Resources- You can become a blood donor, by visiting the Bonfils Blood Center website at www.bonfils.org, or call their appointment center at 303-363-2300 or 800-365-0006.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
Bonfils Blood Center Story/Video Archive
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments