Engaged & Inspired at the World Bank

This morning the World Bank held a comfort kit build for 250 of their employees from around the world, the first event of a week long retreat surrounding poverty and giving – and your Red Cross team took center stage!

World Bank employees created 2,000 comfort kits using 15 teams of 15 people each at their Headquarters in DC. To kick off the event Matt Coyne and Geoff DeLizzio gave speeches about what the Red Cross does locally and how that translates to work around the country and around the world, using the opportunity to connect our mission with some of the world’s top economic minds. Matt and Geoff were also tasked with being the go-to experts in the room for a scavenger hunt that included Red Cross statistics and questions, as well as a task to “take a selfie with a Red Cross person.” So both of them talked to most people in the room during the two hour event.

There was constant high energy in the iconic Atrium of the World Bank as the teams competed with their scavenger hunt questions and kit builds, so much so that employees from other areas of the World Bank were approaching to inquire how they could take part.

The event was notably attended by the Chief Executive Officer of the World Bank, Kristalina Georgieva, as well as the Vice President of Finance, Jan Walliser. Both Geoff and Matt had the opportunity to speak with them about the work of the Red Cross and poverty.

Go Matt and Geoff!

“My Red Cross Experience As A Platelet Donor And A Disaster Action Team Volunteer”: Alan Vollman’s Story

Written by: Rosalind SE Carney, volunteer

Alan Vollman first started to donate blood to the Red Cross in 1971 when he was in graduate school in California. He had read an article describing how heart transplants were becoming more common, but the amount of blood required for these operations put a strain on local blood supplies. He continued to give blood during his first career as a public school teacher. At that time, donors could bank their blood and specify who could receive the units donated at no cost. Alan often chose family members of his school community when families made emergency requests for blood.

When Alan moved to Washington, DC years later, he sought out a Red Cross blood donation center near his downtown law office. On a slow workday, he would to go to donate blood -- a time to relax with a short nap on a comfortable recliner. Once he became a regular donor, volunteers encouraged him to donate platelets instead of whole blood. In the US, platelets are needed every 30 seconds as they are transfused into cancer, surgery, transplant, and blood disorder patients. 

The platelet donation process takes a little longer than a whole blood donation. Blood is taken from one arm, platelets are extracted by a machine, and the remaining blood components are returned to the other arm. Alan finds this downtime relaxing and uses it to listen to lectures on interesting topics or to work on his Spanish. One time, a friend gave him DVDs of the Best of Dave Chappelle to watch during the donation. Alan laughed so hard that he started to cry, but he was unable to wipe away the tears since needles were in his arms. Other people heard him laugh and gathered to watch the shows with him. By the end of the extraction process, streaks of salt marked his cheeks where the tears had evaporated.

Alan has been donating platelets for 15 years and still donates whole blood occasionally. These donations give him a positive feeling, and he enjoys receiving emails notifying him of the type of patient who received his donation. Alan says, “I have family and friends who have needed platelets. I have met parents whose children have received them. These people know how important platelets are and tell me that donors like me have kept them or their child alive. A couple of quiet hours on a cozy recliner can provide months or years to someone who could die without platelets.”

Alan has also been a volunteer with the Disaster Action Team (DAT) since 2009 thanks to encouragement from his wife, Ann. Ann is currently a volunteer in casework recovery planning at the Red Cross headquarters in Fairfax, VA. Ann has also volunteered with DAT for many local and national disasters since 2005. As a DAT volunteer, Alan has enjoyed meeting new people from all walks of life. Alan says, “What Red Cross volunteers have in common is that they all care about their community. Volunteers quickly learn that there is a lot of suffering in the neighborhoods of our wealthy National Capital Region. Some people are living on the edge, and no matter how small a fire or other home disaster may be, it is often a personal Katrina for that household.”

Alan’s message to someone considering volunteer work with the Red Cross is this: “Good deeds are the dues we pay for being members of our community.” As a friend once told him, “Giving money is not hard to do for some; money comes and goes. But time is a gift one can’t earn back; it is unconditional.” Or to put it in lawyer speak, “Money is fungible; time isn’t.”

Learn more about donating blood and platelets at www.redcrossblood.org.

“As a Platelet Donor, I Regularly Help Save Lives”: Jeff Hoffman’s Story

Written by: Rosalind SE Carney, volunteer

Jeff Hoffman remembers as a child watching his father donate blood. When Jeff was in his 20s and living in New York, he became a dedicated blood donor to a family friend who had cancer.

Once Jeff moved to Washington, DC, he became a regular whole blood donor at the Dr. Charles R. Drew Blood Donation Center at 1730 E Street NW, Washington, DC. In 2002, he was asked to consider donating platelets rather than blood. Jeff learned that whereas his blood type is relatively common, he has a high concentration of platelets per unit of blood. He has been a platelet donor ever since, with more than 376 units donated helping more than 1128 lives so far!

While attending a conference several years ago, Jeff noticed a fellow attendee wearing a bracelet embossed with the words “Liquid Gold”. The attendee explained to Jeff that liquid gold refers to platelets, and that, as a cancer survivor, he had started a nonprofit to encourage more people in Alabama to donate. The gentleman’s wife then described how her husband’s hospital had no platelets and a last-minute platelet donation literally saved his life. As Jeff had never met a platelet recipient before, their emotional thank you to him for his donations remains a vital reinforcement to Jeff for saving the lives of others.

As platelets are used to help blood clotting, they are crucial for cancer patients, patients who have undergone major surgery or received transplants, and for babies and adults with certain blood disorders. Platelets must be used within 5 days after donation, so a constant supply is needed. Platelets may be donated every 7 days, up to 24 times per year.

Occasionally, Jeff receives a phone call from the Red Cross asking him for an urgent donation needed to assist the delivery of an upcoming birth. These phone calls have happened three times while at work and he leaves immediately, telling his colleagues “Got to go. I’m off to save a baby’s life!” Jeff says that this is “the best feeling ever” and that it makes him feel energized.

Jeff typically visits the DC blood donation center twice a month and describes the staff as highly professional and very friendly. During the approximately two-hour process of platelet apheresis, Jeff lies on a couch and watches a movie on his laptop. He finds platelet donation painless with no side effects.

When asked about his message to others considering platelet donation, Jeff says, “When I donate platelets, I’m treated like a king. I relax on a comfortable couch and watch a movie, then I eat cookies in the canteen…all while saving lives. I don’t understand why virtually everyone wouldn’t want to do this!”

Like his father was of him, Jeff is very proud to have passed on the tradition of donating to his children who now regularly donate whole blood and red blood cells too.


Every 30 seconds someone in the U.S. needs platelets. Individuals of all blood types, except for type O negative and type B negative, are encouraged to try platelet donation. Type O negative and type B negative individuals can make the most impact for patients in need by giving whole blood or a double red blood cell donation.
 

Read Frequently Asked Questions About Platelet Donation

Learn About All Types of Blood Donation

My Red Cross Volunteer Story: Marion Ekokobe

Marion Ekokobe has been volunteering as a Blood Donor Ambassador multiple times every week since April 2016. In that short time, Marion has clocked in more than 1,000 hours of volunteer service, mostly between the Dr. Charles R. Drew Donor Center in Washington, DC and the Rockville Donor Center.

Fellow volunteers and donor center managers alike have recognized Marion’s dedication to her volunteer assignments. She is praised for her clean and organized workspaces as well as her “excellent customer service relationship with both staff and donors.”

Marion is from Cameroon in West Africa. In her professional life, she has worked administering kidney dialysis treatments. Currently, she is a massage therapist and esthetician and is working on her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine. Marion came to the Red Cross in order to acclimate herself more to the medical field.

“Traveling and meeting people” are Marion’s favorite aspects about volunteering as a Blood Donor Ambassador. In addition to volunteering at American Red Cross blood drives, Marion also volunteers for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Her free time is occupied with homework, watching movies, creating projects for her business and networking.

Please join us in congratulating Marion Ekokobe - Volunteer of the Month for July 2017!

You can help us save a life! Donate blood today. Visit rcblood.org/appt  or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

My Red Cross Story: Art Shaw

Fundraiser and Volunteer—Providing Vital Service to the Red Cross Mission

Written by: Clarice Nassif Ransom, volunteer

Employee and Volunteer: Art Shaw

Resides: Sterling, Virginia

Length of Service: 2 years as employee/15 years as volunteer

Title: Partnership Officer, American Red Cross

Meet Art Shaw. By day, Art is a partnership officer for the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region, a role in which he helps to raise funds, a vitally important function for the humanitarian organization that relies on the generosity of donors and the power of volunteers to alleviate human suffering during emergencies. 

When Art is not working, he is volunteering his time to the Red Cross, donating blood platelets, helping to respond to disasters such as fires and floods, and assisting with large events like the recent Red Tee Golf Tournament.

“I first started giving blood in college,” said Art. “Later, when I was donating blood near where I worked in downtown D.C. for Marriott, the Red Cross nurse asked me if I ever thought about giving platelets and explained to me the importance of platelets to saving lives. That’s when I started giving my platelets – about 15 years ago.”

Art said the process of giving platelets takes about two hours and he has needles in both arms. The blood is withdrawn, the platelets are extracted and then the blood is put back into a person’s body.

“You go home with the same amount of blood you came with—minus the platelets, which regenerate quickly,” said Art, who donates platelets about 20 times a year. “My platelets have been linked to helping many others. One person I helped in particular is a child leukemia victim at Johns Hopkins in Maryland—my blood platelets helped keep him alive. It feels good to help others, and it does not cost you anything but time. So why not do it?”

As a member of the Red Cross Volunteer Disaster Action Team, Art helps victims of house fires, floods like the ones that occurred last year in South Carolina, and with teams installing free smoke alarms and providing fire safety information to local communities.

“It is really important to be there for disaster victims and to give them the reassurance that they are going to be OK,” said Art. “There are people who just lost everything in a house fire, it’s 2:30 a.m., and they are devastated. As a Red Cross volunteer, we can be there to comfort them and to provide them with resources, such as a hotel room and food, to help them begin to rebuild their lives, and that is rewarding.”

When the recent Women’s March ended, a group of about 30 Canadian women were stranded at RFK Stadium due to a bus breakdown after everyone else vacated, according to Art, who said the Red Cross was the only organization left to assist these women by providing a tent shelter, food and coffee. 

“Our motto is, ‘We will help you until you are OK,’” said Art, who was one of the Red Cross volunteers onsite that day and evening until all the women were able to leave, the last bus departing around 3:00 a.m. the morning after the march.

One of the Canadian attendees was so thankful to the American Red Cross that she wrote a personal note to the team and vowed a donation. An excerpt from her note said, “We did appreciate the help as we were exhausted from the long bus journey the night before and the excitement of the wonderful day… The Red Cross helped everyone to get going again and we all got safely back to Canada.”

As a partnership officer, Art communicates with many local companies, sharing the value of donating resources, as well as hosting volunteer venues such as on-site blood donation centers. One of Art’s most memorable exchanges was when he attended a blood drive at a company. A retired, elderly volunteer told Art that the reason he volunteers is that when he was born in the 1940’s, dialysis was not used, and had a blood disease in which he received about 1,000 pints of blood at the Children’s Hospital. That elderly volunteer attributes being alive as a result of the generosity of blood donors, as many of his peers with the same disease did not make it, and he told Art that is why he still volunteers. Art was touched by this story.

“Volunteering helps me to tell the Red Cross story to donors, who can hear the conviction in my voice, as to why it is important to support our organization,” said Art. “I am telling the truth when I say I helped save someone’s life by working and volunteering for the American Red Cross—I have donated life-saving blood and platelets; I have comforted victims of disasters; I have provided food, shelter and clothing after disaster victims have lost everything. I am living the expectations I am asking for from my donors.”

Art said he will forever volunteer for the Red Cross.

Hundreds of Red Cross Volunteers Conclude Inaugural Week Support in Nation’s Capital

By Joseph P. Cirone

American Red Cross Northwest Region

Photo by Wendi Hayden

Hundreds of American Red Cross trained volunteers have concluded their work in the Nation’s Capital, supporting local, state and federal emergency services and military personnel during the 58th Presidential Inauguration. 

More than 250 volunteers from Red Cross chapters in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Delaware worked long hours, helping ensure safety during the inaugural events.

The volunteers and other Red Cross personnel partnered with local, state and federal Emergency Medical Services, Law Enforcement, Fire, Search and Rescue, National Guard, active and reserve Military and Emergency Management personnel, throughout the National Capital Region during the planning and operational phases of the inauguration and the Woman’s March on Washington.    

Photo by Wendi Hayden

During the inaugural events on Thursday and Friday, more than 20 Red Cross “Go Teams” walked among the crowds at the National Mall, Lincoln Memorial and the parade route, serving as the eyes and ears for the Red Cross emergency service agency partners, to help monitor the health and safety of the public and connect them in an appropriate manner during an emergency.

Go Teams located and communicated with U.S. Secret Service, other law enforcement agency personnel and medical aid tent stations, staffed by first responders; U.S. Public Health Service; National Disaster Medical Service and military personnel, regarding the need for emergency medical or law enforcement assistance.

While first responders deployed, Go Teams marked the precise location using special flags that rose above the crowd to guide the first responders to the ill and injured, saving precious time during the emergency.

Red Cross volunteers also provided information to the public, who requested assistance locating emergency medical aid stations, public transit and other event related information.

Photo by Wendi Hayden

Additionally, volunteers provided food and beverages for first responders at designated locations in the District and in Virginia; supported operations at Family Reunification and Warming Centers and performed liaison and coordination duties at local and federal Emergency Operations Centers. Other Red Cross personnel provided internal coordination, planning, logistical and support services, helping to ensure Red Cross operational success.

As part of the planning for the inaugural events, which were designated as a National Security Special Event by the U.S. Secret Service, the Red Cross participated in the development of emergency consequence management plans and had hundreds more Red Cross trained volunteers and a number of emergency shelter locations on alert in multiple states.