The American Red Cross of the National Capital and Greater Chesapeake Region recently received a special guest from Ohio. Al Whitney is a man on a mission.
He is trying to donate platelets in all 50 states. Whitney made a stop in Maryland earlier this month. Unlike blood donations, platelets serve an important need.
Donation Need is Great
The Red Cross says every 30 seconds someone in the United States needs platelets. It’s a critical clotting component of blood.
Whitney began donating blood in his hometown of Cleveland in 1965. “I was walking in downtown and saw a sign to donate blood, so I did,” Whitney said.
After that, he was inspired to do more. He ran blood drives in Ohio for 35 years. During the first 20 years, he held a blood drive every 8 weeks. But in the last 15 years, he was even more ambitious. He ran 56 blood drives a year. That’s more than one a week. He retired from organizing blood drives in 2000. Since then, he has changed his focus to collecting platelets.
“Platelet donations help patients who are being treated for cancer, chronic diseases and traumatic injuries,” said Bethany Patterson, a spokesperson for the Red Cross of the National Capital and Greater Chesapeake Region.
When asked why he donates platelets, Whitney said, “Walk through a cancer ward, it’s that simple.”
“When you give, you’re not donating blood. You’re donating life. The person who receives a blood transfusion is a son, or a daughter, or a brother or a sister or a husband or a wife. You’re giving them more time together, more time to live,” Whitney added.
Short Shelf Life
Unlike blood, platelets must be used within five days of a donation, so there is a constant need. The Red Cross accepts platelet donations from people with all different blood types. Once people walk in, staff members place donors on a special machine. It collects a small amount of blood, then it removes the platelets, and returns the rest of the blood through the individual’s other arm. The cycle is repeated several times over the course of two hours.
“Our staff members are always close by to make sure donors are comfortable and have a successful donation, and they are able to watch movies on a TV screen at the donor chair to pass the time,” Patterson said.
Traveling the Country to Make Donations
Whitney, 89, told MCM he has now donated platelets in 34 states so far. Maryland was the 33rd state since his journey began. He then traveled to North Dakota. He is not sure when he will complete his latest mission. This is not the first time he will accomplish this goal. This will be Whitney’s third time visiting every state in the country to encourage people to donate these life-saving platelets. Whitney said he has collected 1,157 units of platelets so far.
Donation Benefits
He added that blood banks thoroughly check a donor’s blood. Whitney says he knows of several people who donated blood when the blood bank detected a health issue that needed attention. Those donors all received medical care that prevented a more serious complication.
“When you donate blood not only are you saving somebody else’s life, you may be saving your own life,” Whitney explained.
More Information
People interested in donating either blood or platelets can reach out to the Red Cross for more information.
Photo Courtesy: Red Cross NCGC
