Author Archives for Stanford Blood Center

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Casey’s Rocky Start

April 17, 2012 10:48 am Published by Comments Off on Casey’s Rocky Start

Casey Rockey was born with supravalvular aortic stenosis, a rare heart condition that causes a narrowing of his aortic valve at the opening. He required beta blockers for a year to manage his stenosis and tachycardia and, at age three and a half, it was time for open-heart surgery.


Blood Drive Coordinator Dedicated to #SavingLives

April 11, 2012 11:36 am Published by Comments Off on Blood Drive Coordinator Dedicated to #SavingLives

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By Julie Ruel, Social Media Manager, Stanford Blood Center

Stacey Tinianov began coordinating our Cisco blood drives in 2009 and, to date, has brought in almost 3,000 units of blood. Less than a year after taking on her responsibilities as a blood drive coordinator, she joined our Donor Cup competition and won the award for highest number of units collected. She and her husband both donate as often as they can and she loves, loves, loves to tweet about her upcoming blood drives, and her many other activities for that matter, as @coffeemommy.


Life is Precious

April 4, 2012 11:17 am Published by Comments Off on Life is Precious

By Tim Gilmore, Blood Drive Account Manager, Stanford Blood Center

Last year, my cousin's husband, Darren, became extremely ill. He was rushed to a hospital in Central California but after days of declining health, doctors decided that he needed to be taken by medevac to Stanford Hospital. Upon his arrival, he was met by world-class physicians who rushed to diagnose his symptoms. After being stabilized at Stanford, his health started to improve and we learned that he had leukemia. He started a treatment plan immediately and began receiving numerous blood products.


A Plan for Clean, Sustainable Energy Worldwide in 20-40 Years

March 27, 2012 9:54 am Published by Comments Off on A Plan for Clean, Sustainable Energy Worldwide in 20-40 Years

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By Mark Z. Jacobson, PhD, Director of the Atmosphere/Energy Program and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University

Global warming, air pollution, and energy insecurity are three of the most significant problems facing the world today. My upcoming talk at Stanford Blood Center's Café Scientifique on 3/29/12 discusses a plan to solve the problems by powering 100% of the world's energy for all purposes, including electricity, transportation, industry, and heating/cooling, with wind, water, and sunlight (WWS) within 20-40 years.


Transplants for Two: Twins Get New Livers to Treat Rare Disease

March 23, 2012 9:29 am Published by Comments Off on Transplants for Two: Twins Get New Livers to Treat Rare Disease

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Twins Sophia and Charlotte Gonzalez required numerous blood transfusions as newborns and again during their recent liver transplants. The below article is by Erin Digitale, Writer for Stanford School of Medicine's Communications & Public Affairs Department.

In a small room at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Megan and Ricky Gonzalez each held one hand of their daughter Sophia, comforting her as she recovered from a Nov. 8 liver transplant. Near Sophia's crib, her identical twin, Charlotte, babbled happily in the girls' double stroller. Charlotte was waiting her turn — which came Nov. 27 — for her own liver transplant to treat the metabolic disease that nearly killed both girls as newborns.


Teenage RBCs

March 20, 2012 3:25 pm Published by Comments Off on Teenage RBCs

By Billie Rubin, Hemoglobin's Catabolic Cousin, reporting from the labs of Stanford Blood Center

Today is the first day of spring! Get ready to be wowed by flowers blooming, love blossoming, and newborn farm animals running around. Youth and spring make blood bankers think of reticulocytes, red blood cells that haven't fully matured (the teenagers of the red cell world).


A Close Shave with Barber-Surgeons

March 15, 2012 1:28 pm Published by Comments Off on A Close Shave with Barber-Surgeons

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By Billie Rubin, Hemoglobin's Catabolic Cousin, reporting from the labs of Stanford Blood Center

Phlebotomy was once a hair-raising occupation. The PBS series Red Gold: The Epic Story of Blood tells of a specialized medical practitioner that arose in the Middle Ages: the barber-surgeon. Not only could you get your hair cut at the barber shop, but the barbers performed some minor surgical procedures such as blood letting as well. They created their own guild, competed with doctors, and advertised their services with their unique barber's pole still in use today.


Blood Drive Coordinator: Paul B. Newman

March 12, 2012 1:44 pm Published by Comments Off on Blood Drive Coordinator: Paul B. Newman

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By Tim Gilmore, Blood Drive Account Manager, Stanford Blood Center

When you think of Paul Newman, you probably think of the Hollywood legend. But when you say "Paul Newman" at Stanford Blood Center, people think of the Paul B. Newman Neighborhood Blood Drive. Paul is an extremely passionate and dedicated Blood Drive Coordinator. Rain or shine, Paul is out greeting donors and making everyone feel welcome.


#WhyIGiveBlood: Patients, Pals & POG

March 8, 2012 11:31 am Published by Comments Off on #WhyIGiveBlood: Patients, Pals & POG

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Friends Roy Tuason and Erik Klein gave their 100th donations together on Tuesday, 3/6 at our Mountain View center. Their wives, friends and co-workers joined them on this special day with many of them donating as well.

Here, Roy shares a little about himself and his buddy, Erik, and how they got started donating blood.


What happens in the lab?

February 29, 2012 10:44 am Published by Comments Off on What happens in the lab?

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By Tim Gilmore, Blood Drive Account Manager, Stanford Blood Center

During each blood donation, six small tubes of blood are collected (to be used later for testing), along with the bag of blood used for transfusion. When the blood donors finish their good deed, they rest in the canteen with cookies and juice. But their precious gift of blood is already busy, working toward saving lives! Here, we take you on a tour through our lab.