Shortly after 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 5, 2004 a West Michigan couple and their 5-year-old son publicly thanked four West Michigan men for saving the little boy’s life.

Jim and Lisa Koetje and son Curtis, of Holland, met white blood-cell donors Arthur Ackerson of Grandville, Steven DeJong of Grand Rapids, Thomas Keating of Grand Rapids, and Carl Vandenbosch of Spring Lake, at MCBC’s annual Evening of Thanks event honoring 500 area blood-drive organizers.

The meeting was the first personal encounter between the family and the four donors, and the first such meeting ever arranged by Michigan Community Blood Centers.

“Curtis is alive because of what these blood donors did,” said Lisa Koetje. “They gave us back our little boy when he was very, very sick.”

After long months of treatment for a life-threatening illness, Curtis enjoys a healthy happy Autumn, 2003

When Curtis was three years old, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. While being treated for the disease at DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, “he was hit with a deadly bacterial infection that left him clinging to life,” said Lisa Koetje. “His body was unable to make white blood cells fast enough and in the quantity he needed to fight the infection and the pneumonia which accompanied it.”

Looking solemn during the introduction of other white blood cell donors at MCBC's Evening of Thanks, blood donors Steven DeJong (far left) and Thomas Keating (far right) share the spotlight with Jim and Lisa Koetje and their son, Curtis (center). "It's really special to meet the person who received your blood," Keating says, "but even if you never get that chance, you know your blood can save someone's life."

Tansfusions of white blood cells saved Curtis’s life by helping him combat the infection. Several months later, he underwent a marrow transplant. During the entire course of his treatment, Curtis received more than 200 units of blood components.

“Today, you would never know he is the same boy who was so close to death,” said Mrs. Koetje.

Carl Vandenbosch (L), whose white blood cells helped 3-year-old Curtis Koetje, knows his blood donations also have helped many other people he will never have the chance meet. "It's a great opportunity [meeting the person who received his blood donation] but even if you never know anything about them, you know you were able to help them. And that's a great feeling."
 
Arthur Ackerman (R) was one of several white blood cell donors who helped save young Curtis Koetje's life. "When they [Blood Center staff] call and ask you to donate, you know somebody really needs help. That's why you do it."

For the blood donors, meeting Curtis and his family was a unique opportunity to come face-to-face with the significance of their blood donations. As is routine for blood donors, at the time the men donated, they didn’t know any personal details of the patient who desperately needed their white cells.

“They just told us it was a little boy who was really sick,” said Steve DeJong.

On February 5, Steve and the other three white-cell donors all had a chance to meet that little boy and his family. It didn’t take long to go from handshakes to hugs. And everyone was smiling.

© Michigan Community Blood Centers