|
St. Louis Blood Drive Sings with Life-Saving Success
Written by
Bonnie Gillespie
, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
Tuesday, August 19, 2003 — "As I sat watching the new blood and platelets being pumped through my veins, I wondered, who has that much kindness in their heart to give a part of them to someone else, so they can live?" said thirteen-year-old Amanda Clement, who is battling Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
Amanda Clement talks to KSHE radio personality Favazz, expressing her gratitude to blood donors and the American Red Cross as the station broadcasts live from Alton Memorial Hospital, Alton, Il.
|
The young St. Louis resident has received many blood transfusions as part of her treatment, and there has always been a ready supply thanks to events like the recent KSHE 95 "Rock and Roll Up Your Sleeve" Blood Drive.
Co-sponsored by American Red Cross Blood Services in St. Louis and a local rock-n-roll radio station, the successful drive not only collected thousands of blood units, but also allowed Amanda Clement the opportunity to share her gratitude with blood donors and Red Cross workers who help bring her the life-saving blood she needs to battle her disease.
"I was honored to meet some of the people with the American Red Cross that work so hard and give so much to save lives," said Clement. "And it was heart warming to see the smiles on the blood donor faces at the KSHE drive."
After two decades of teaming up for blood drives and together collecting almost 90,000 units of blood, the St. Louis Red Cross and KSHE radio this year launched a special 20-year anniversary event in five locations throughout the listening area. But even before the first sleeves were rolled up, organizers of the blood drive were certain it would be a hit.
"Each year we ask the KSHE 95 audience to come out and prove that St. Louis truly rocks," says Rick Balis, program director at KSHE 95. "And each year, KSHE listeners prove that they are the greatest rock-n-roll audience in the world… and I knew our listeners would come out and live up to this year's slogan, 'Live To Give - Give To Live.'"
And they did. Knowing that each donation can help save up to three lives, listeners from both Missouri and Illinois turned out to do the "donation dance," as they listened to tunes on KSHE broadcasted live from various blood drive locations.
Scott Lambing (far right) has donated blood at the Rock and Roll Up Your Sleeve Blood Drive for the past 15 years, with his kids accompanying him for the last ten. Pictured here at Carpenter's Hall in St. Louis are, from left to right, Jared Williams along with Jessica, Cameron, Felicia and Scott Lambing.
|
"A total of 3,372 productive units of blood were collected," said Nicole Traycoff, Media Relations Coordinator with the St. Louis chapter.
"The Red Cross, KSHE 95 and the community gathered together to not only collect blood to help save lives, we gathered together to celebrate a strong 20-year partnership with the American Red Cross Blood Services, the public and the radio powerhouse of mid-Missouri," Traycoff said.
The drive was strategically scheduled to replenish dwindling summer blood supplies, and the blood donors who turned out successfully bridged the gap in donations that typically occurs during June, July and August because of vacations and school closings.
"This has been one of the toughest summers ever," said Christine Bales, CEO of the American Red Cross Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region. "We have a longstanding partnership with KSHE, and we are honored to team up with them again to show that the St. Louis metropolitan area is ready to keep the shelves at the American Red Cross full!"
And with inspirational recipients like Amanda Clement, the St. Louis Red Cross and KSHE are certain to continue the life-saving tradition.
"It takes so much blood and platelets to give for one day's worth of transfusions," said Amanda Clement. "I am forever in debt to those that saved my life. Thank you."
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. The Red Cross also supplies nearly half of the nation's lifesaving blood. This, too, is made possible by generous voluntary donations. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. You can make a secure online credit card donation or call 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Or you may send your donation to your local Red Cross or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. To donate blood, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543), or contact your local Red Cross to find out about upcoming blood drives.
Related Links:
|
