Michigan Challenges State Employees To Save Lives

LANSING: Michigan Surgeon General Kimberlydawn Wisdom, M.D., and Janet Olszewski, Director of the Michigan Department of Community Health, joined a consortium of Michigan blood banks today in launching the State of Michigan Employee Blood Challenge.

The main goal of the Employee Blood Challenge, led by the American Red Cross, Michigan Community Blood Centers and the Upper Peninsula Regional Blood Center, is to increase blood donations from state employees by 20 percent between November 2005 and October 2006.

Michigan Community Blood Centers medical director LeeAnn Weitekamp, MD (left) and Michigan Surgeon General Kimberlydawn Wisdom, MD at the October 18 press conference in Lansing, to announce the State Employee Blood Challenge. The year-long campaign represents a collaboration among all Michigan blood providers and the State of Michigan to boost blood donations by State employees.

“We know the demand for blood and blood components is outpacing donations,” said Wisdom, who also rolled up her sleeve to donate for the cause. “I ask our state employees to step forward to help the blood agencies continue to grow collections to meet the needs of patients in Michigan and beyond.”

The blood consortium is asking state employees to donate through blood drives hosted by state offices or agencies, or at donation centers and blood drives in their communities. Participating state employees will use a special card to track their donations, and depending on the number of times they volunteer to give blood, will qualify for thank-you gifts, competitions and prize drawings.

According to Dr. Wisdom, state employees can lead by example to help grow blood collections. “If medical treatment is delayed due to an inadequate supply of blood, that becomes a public health issue,” Dr. Wisdom said. ”Clearly we want to ensure public health is maintained. As an emergency medicine physician, I have seen how quickly a medical situation can arise where the availability of blood becomes a matter of life and death. I plan to donate today, and I encourage all eligible donors to do the same. With 55,000 employees, the State of Michigan can play a major role in ensuring an ongoing adequate supply of blood for accident victims, sickle cell patients, surgery and cancer patients, and others who need lifesaving blood.”

To learn more about the Blood Challenge, State of Michigan employees can visit the web site.

To find out more about donating blood or sponsoring a drive, call one of the following blood agencies in your neighborhood:

• American Red Cross 1-800-GIVE-LIFE
• Michigan Community Blood Centers 1-866-MIBlood
• Upper Peninsula Regional Blood Center 1-800-491-4483

Across the state, Michigan Community Blood Centers provides 100 percent of the regular blood supply in four major regions with a combined population of more than 1.5 million. As a member of America’s Blood Centers, America’s largest provider of blood and blood-related services, Michigan Community Blood Centers also shares blood with other communities in need across the nation and also is prepared to help meet military and disaster-related needs.

This year, Michigan Community Blood Centers expects to collect well over 95,000 pints of blood to provide for the needs of 23 hospital facilities that care for patients from all over Michigan’s lower peninsula.

© Michigan Community Blood Centers