“It’s always somebody else’s.”

Line of donors to give blood after the September 11th attacks

by Ashley Messick, Social Media Specialist, proud A+ blood donor

I just read a story that reflected on the explosion in San Bruno one year ago today. Gene O’Neil, who has lived in San Bruno for over 30 years, was with a buddy in traffic on the Bay Bridge when the explosion happened. He said, “We both live in San Bruno, it’s hard to judge from the bridge, but we both say, that could be our neighborhood. But we say, nah, because it’s never your house, it’s always somebody else’s.”

It made me think: it’s always somebody else’s. It’s always somebody else’s mother who needs platelets to treat her breast cancer. It’s always somebody else’s child who uses blood as part of her treatment for a blood disorder. It’s always somebody else’s best friend who needs red blood cells when he is fighting to survive from a tragic automobile accident. It’s always somebody else’s. Until it’s yours.

With the one year anniversary of the San Bruno explosion and the ten year anniversary of 9/11 this Sunday, I am reminded of the outpouring of love and support our blood center received after each of these events. Donors lined up at our doors, ready to help. Our phone lines rang off the hook and our website went down from all of the traffic. Last year, our Facebook fans and Twitter followers took to social media throughout the evening and overnight to ask about the events in San Bruno and how they could help.

That’s the thing about lifesaving blood donors. They know the importance of having blood on the shelf, not just after an emergency occurs but beforehand so that it is there when it is needed. They know that lifesaving blood goes every single day to the patients in hospitals we serve here in Northern California.

Having blood available for use is always important, whether it is a nation-wide emergency, a community-emergency, or an emergency in our own lives when an accident or disease strikes. Thank you blood donors for remembering that whether it’s “somebody else’s” or your own, the need for lifesaving blood unifies us all.

Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland

Every three weeks, Khaliah receives a blood transfusion at Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland. Her brother receives a transfusion every six weeks. As patients with sickle cell, Khaliah and her family know firsthand the lifesaving care the hospital provides. Watch Khaliah and her mother explain in their own words the importance of sickle cell treatment.

Did you know that Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland is the only independent not-for-profit regional medical center for children in Northern California? It is the oldest pediatric medical center between Los Angeles and Seattle providing exceptional medical care for children for more than 95 years. Children’s Hospital is also a national leader in many pediatric specialties and sub-specialties including hematology/oncology, neonatology, cardiology, orthopedics, sports medicine, and neurosurgery.

In December 2010, BCP was selected as the provider of volunteer blood donations to Children’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland. BCP provides approximately 10,000 pints of blood and blood components to Children’s Hospital to help patients like Khaliah and her brother.

Children’s Hospital is also a premier teaching hospital with an outstanding pediatric residency program and subspecialty fellowship programs. Its research program, Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI), is internationally-renowned for taking state-of-the-art basic and clinical research and translating it into interventions for treating and preventing human diseases. And its Center for Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassemia (CST) strives to improve public awareness of these diseases and to expand the current knowledge base, and to provide innovative treatment, care and cures.

In addition to providing blood to them, this September 24th, we are proud to announce that Children’s Hospital will be one of our many nonprofit partners for BCP’s “101 Heroes Blood Drive” in support of Sickle Cell Awareness Month.

To learn more, visit http://www.childrenshospitaloakland.org.