Archive for June, 2011

Each week, The Blood Center’s customer service representatives respond to hundreds of questions from donors via email and telephone – questions regarding how and where to donate, how to use Digital Donor, ordering Commit for Life store items and much more. But every so often, they receive a communication that does not call for a response, but rather offers a comment or suggestion.

Last week, we received one such email from a donor named Lisa. She wrote:

I don’t have any questions. I just wanted to tell you what a privilege it is to donate blood. I received a voice mail with the voice of a little girl who has been helped by blood donations, I see the commercials on TV, and I get emails with photos of recipients. I look at every face, consider the precious life of that person, and I thank God for the opportunity to help in my small way.

Thank you for the service you provide, for the lives you save, and for the difference you make in the world and in its future.

Wow! What a tremendous compliment, and what wonderful affirmation of the work that we all – donors, volunteers, blood drive groups and Blood Center employees – do to help save lives! The customer service representative who received the email shared it with her supervisor, and it’s being shared throughout The Blood Center to remind employees how important their work is.

Thank you, Lisa, for letting us know why you Commit for Life!

Congratulations to our Gold Cup Promotion winner, Robert Nieves of Pasadena! This evening, Rob will be watching his very first live soccer games as the United States and Honduras face off against Panama and Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Semifinal Doubleheader at Reliant Stadium.

Rob’s apheresis donation on June 9 at the Pasadena Neighborhood Donor Center qualified him for the random drawing. “My mother had cancer, so I’ve always donated to help out,” Rob said. Thanks for helping save lives, Rob, and enjoy the game!

Benjamin and Ben

Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 19, and if you own the 2011 Commit for Life calendar, you know quite a few dads out there give blood because of their kids. Meet three Commit for Life dads and learn how fatherhood turned them into blood donors:

Benjamin donated blood for the first time 14 years ago when his son, Ben, was born premature and needed blood. Today he continues his commitment to help other families facing the same need. “God has blessed me with this body, so I do an unselfish thing and give blood to help others,” Benjamin said.

Bryan and Madison

As a firefighter and paramedic, Bryan always understood the importance of giving blood, but it took on more personal significance when his daughter was born in 2006. “My daughter, Madison, was born 10 weeks prematurely. She needed three blood transfusions and was in the hospital for seven weeks at birth. She is smart, healthy and happy now thanks in part to those transfusions,” Bryan said.

Ben and Hailey

Ben’s daughter, Hailey, was also born prematurely and required several blood transfusions during her stay in the NICU. When Ben was later encouraged to donate at a company blood drive, he thought of his daughter. “I had always been afraid of donating blood, but then I remembered Hailey. If someone else hadn’t donated blood, she wouldn’t be alive,” Ben said. “I choose to Commit for Life because I can’t pay that person back for helping save my daughter’s life, all I can do is pay it forward and do the same for someone else.”

Now we want to hear from any sons or daughters out there who have been inspired to donate blood because of their dads! Has your father inspired you to donate, or do you have a tradition of giving blood with your dad? Share your story with us. 

Congratulations to Patrick Brown of Spring! He is the second grand-prize winner in the Family Vacation Month giveaway, taking  home a family four-pack of tickets to visit Schlitterbahn in Galveston, and a Commit for Life beach pack.

A donor at The Blood Center’s Humble/Kingwood Neighborhood Donor Center, he was randomly selected for his May 18 donation – one of 84 donations he has made in his lifetime! Through his dedication to donating blood, he has helped more than 250 lives!

Thanks to everyone who entered the Family Vacation Month giveaway by donating or attempting to donate in April or May! Don’t forget to take advantage of our June and July promotion – Double Donation Points – and use those extra points to get some cool items from the Commit for Life store!

Have you heard about our 2D promotion yet? Commit for Life donors who successfully donate in June or July will receive double points for each donation! Points can be redeemed for T-shirts, travel mugs, gift cards and other Commit for Life gear in the Commit for Life store.

Commit for Life donors who give an automated donation during this promotion have the opportunity to earn as many as 1,500 points for one donation, and new Commit for Life members can easily earn 900 points for one donation – WOW! How is that possible? By taking advantage of all the bonus points Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center offers!

How an Automated Donor Can Earn 1,500 Points:
400 points: Independence Day Weekend NDC Special Bonus
+ 100 points: Appointment-Kept Bonus
+ 500 points: Automated Donation
+ 500 points: Double Donation Points Promotion
= 1,500 points for one donation!

 How a First-Time Donor Can Earn 900 Points:
200 points: June NDC Special Bonus
+ 100 points: Appointment-Kept Bonus
+ 200 points: First Whole Blood Donation
+ 200 points: Double Donation Points Promotion
+ 200 points: Commit for Life Sign-Up Bonus
= 900 points for one donation!

Earning all of the bonus points listed above will take some planning on your part – you’ll need to call your Neighborhood Donor Center or log in to Digital Donor at least 24 hours in advance to make an appointment for a day that qualifies for the June Neighborhood Donor Center Specials or the Independence Day Weekend Neighborhood Donor Center Special. These specials are valid only at Neighborhood Donor Centers, not mobile blood drives.

The June Neighborhood Donor Center Special offers 200 bonus points for donations occurring June 17 through 20, and June 24 through 27. The Independence Day Weekend Neighborhood Donor Center Special offers 400 bonus points for donations occurring July 1 through 5. Read How the Point System Works for more details about donation points, the appointment-kept bonus, and the Commit for Life sign-up bonus.

Fewer individuals come in to donate during the summer and around holidays, so The Blood Center offers bonus points to encourage donations during these times. By donating during a Neighborhood Donor Center Special, not only are you earning extra Commit for Life points for yourself, you’re also helping ensure that the blood supply remains stable during a crucial time. The truth is, emergency surgeries, cancer treatments and other blood transfusions continue throughout the summer and holidays, and those patients count on blood donated by people like you.

So make an appointment to donate, earn some extra Commit for Life points and help save lives this summer! When is your next donation?