Hurricane Cookies [Instructables]

O Positive (or not) [Burdens Do a Body Good]

First Aid Kit Releases new music video [PerezHilton]*

Google Flu Trends is a powerful early warning system for emergency departments [Science Daily]

Social Media Tracks Disease Spread [Scientific American]

2 years ago today, Haiti was struck by an earthquake. Our work there has made significant progress and there’s still much to do. We just want to take a moment today to think of all those who were affected and to thank all of you who came together so beautifully to help.

* We just get a kick out of the name of this band.

- Donate blood three times. I’d love to commit to donating blood every 56 days, but my iron levels just don’t rebound in that amount of time. I also have very little child-free time each week, and while the cheerful, optimistic part of me would love to take my kids with me when I donate blood, the realistic part of me – the part of me that has actually MET my “spirited” children – knows this would be a mistake. There’s no need to subject other blood donors and Red Cross employees to those two rugrats.

- Volunteer for four events. My family’s schedule doesn’t allow me to volunteer on a regular basis (i.e. weekly administrative assistance) or at off times of day (i.e. middle of the night disaster response). Instead, one-time events – like the Bryan Christmas Parade, for which my family and I volunteer a couple of weeks ago – are a good fit, as they generally last for only a few hours and are planned far enough in advance to allow me to clear my calendar.

- Spread the word. We’ve lived in our current city (after a move across the country) for a full year, and I’ve met quite a few people – both friends and acquaintances – over the course of these last 12 months. It’s time for me to start talking about Red Cross blood donation, volunteering, etc. with those who will listen, which means it’s also time for me to brush up on my elevator speech!

- Organize at least one Red Cross-related activity for each of my children’s classes. A few weeks ago I coordinated a Holiday Mail for Heroes event for my son’s preschool class, and it was a huge hit. I’d like to do the same for both kids’ classes next year, and perhaps throw another activity into the mix as well. Ideas?

What are your Red Cross New Year’s Resolutions? How do you make sure you’ll follow through on your plans to accomplish it all?

Happy New Year!

*this post came to us from the blog of Cindy Haskins Monro, in Arizona.  During the holiday season there is always a significant drop in blood donations, when demand is especially high.  Consider scheduling an appointment today.

My husband, Bruce, has been donating blood for over 10 years.  I figured he was representing our family and we were doing our part.  I thought they froze the blood and stockpiled it for future use.  I thought surely they always have plenty of blood on hand.  I was so wrong.

Blood donors make up a mere 5% of the 38% of Americans eligible to donate. I found that statistic rather shocking.  Also, red blood cells are refrigerated and have a shelf life of only 45 days.  (Your donated blood has been used or has expired 11 days before you are eligible to donate again in 56 days, which explains why it is necessary for the American Red Cross to call upon its donors so often.) Just a few are carrying the load for the many and the daily struggle to meet the demand of hospitals for blood is constant.

My First Experience

Newly informed, I set out last Saturday to donate blood.  I was headed for the American Red Cross building in Tucson when I spotted a Red Cross mobile unit about a block away, next to Diamondback Police Supply.  I decided to see if I could donate there, since it appeared a blood drive was underway.

I parked my car and walked over to the sign-in sheet where I was greeted by Barbara Belhumeur.  I was given material to read, and since I had no appointment, I sat down to wait my turn.  I soon noticed everyone seemed to know one another and there was a sense of something special happening in the air.  Everyone was smiling, everyone was hugging, with special attention paid to Holly, who was stationed at the sign-in table, as well as to Barbara and a gentleman named Larry.  I asked Barbara if this was a special event.  It was.

Barbara and Larry Belhumeur lost their son, Holly’s husband, to a devastating illness recently and this was a memorial blood drive.  Mark Belhumeur (known for remarking  ’you are a scholar and a gentleman’ when introduced to someone new) had recieved the gift of blood while battling his illness.  Though he eventually succumbed, his family wished to give back and to help save the lives of others in his name.  Mark had worked at Diamondback Police Supply, which is why the location was so appropriate.  He was obviously much loved and is deeply missed by all who knew him.  His family and friends did him proud that day.

As I waited my turn, I marveled at the resiliency of the human spirit and at the ability of this lovely family to turn tragedy into hope for others.  My name was called and I entered the bus.

I was first seated in a private cubicle by a young, attractive phlebotomist named Alethea , who pricked my finger (felt like a sharp snap, not particularly painful) and took a speck of blood, which she tested for adequate iron.  She also checked my blood pressure.  I then answered a few questions regarding travel and personal associations, all of which is strictly confidential.

It was determined I was healthy and eligible to donate (I had eaten an iron-rich breakfast and drunk plenty of water, which also makes your veins more accessable) and I was instructed to recline comfortably on a padded bench seat.  Alethea inserted the needle neatly and cleanly and approximately 10 minutes later I had given a unit of blood.  John, another Red Cross professional, cleaned me up, bandaged me and, after making sure I was feeling OK, sent me to the front of the bus. I thought, ‘what a simple and easy way to impact the lives of others in a beneficial way’.

I made my way to the front of the bus where assorted snacks and beverages had been made available to replenish the energy of donors.  While seated in this mini recovery area, I met a young mother named Shannon, who had donated at the same time.  Shannon, in her motherly wisdom, had brought along her nine year old daughter, Olivia (darling with long golden hair), so that she could observe and learn.   Also on hand was Elisa Rister, Mrs. Arizona 2009, who is friend to Holly Belhumeur.  She is as beautful and as down to earth as they come and provided wonderful support to the cause.

After chatting a while, I was free to go.  I asked everyone’s permission to mention them in this article.  They all kindly agreed.  We hugged and I walked away feeling like I had done something meaningful that morning.  I know I will become a regular, lifelong donor thanks to the generosity of spirit I experienced with the Belhumeur family and the kind, professional attention I received from the American Red Cross professionals, Alethea and John.  My heartfelt thanks to all of you for making my first blood donation so memorable!

You can gift wrap a sweater. You can place a bow on a shiny new bicycle. You can fill a gift bag with holiday cookies. One thing you can’t put in a box and place under the tree is the perfect gift – a lifesaving blood donation.

When you donate blood, you give the perfect gift – another hug, another laugh, another smile, another chance – to someone in need of blood.

Think outside the box this holiday season. The perfect gift is at your nearest American Red Cross blood drive or blood donation center. And, unlike the latest fashion trend, video game or golf club, the perfect gift costs nothing but an hour of your time.

Give the perfect gift and help a family member, friend or someone you’ve never met unwrap a lifetime of memories.

The Red Cross is proud to present “The Perfect Gift,” a video highlighting the importance of blood donation. Hopefully, it inspires you to give blood this holiday season and throughout the year.

Be sure to mention #perfectgift when sharing these videos!

Makaila Haase, a 17-year-old student, and her mother Kelly Haase donated their home video to the Perfect Gift campaign. Here’s a note from Makaila explaining why she donated the video and why she is a blood donor.

Every year, my family pulls out the camera to record opening gifts. Last year’s gift opening was pretty memorable, but it never occurred to me that our video would become part of a Red Cross blood donation campaign.

When the Red Cross asked me to donate this video, I was so excited to help. My mom worked in an emergency room so she’s always talked to us about the importance of giving blood. She says she saw firsthand the need for it every day. I gave blood as soon as I could at a school blood drive.

In our video, I desperately wanted tickets to the Taylor Swift concert. I don’t know how they did it, but my parents managed to get two tickets for me. I was so happy.

Watching the Red Cross video, I almost started crying because it reminded me of how overjoyed I was that day. I give blood because I want another family to have the chance to make that kind of a memory.

I think that’s what the Perfect Gift campaign is all about—each of us digging deep and giving the gift that costs nothing, but means everything—the gift of a blood donation.

I plan on sharing this video with my family and friends. I hope it makes them want to become blood donors too. It really is the perfect gift. So email it to your friends, tweet it, or share it on Facebook – thanks for your support!

I won’t list all 24 (my complete list begins on November 1st and continues through Thanksgiving on November 24th) here, but I will share my top seven in hopes they get the ball rolling on all of us sharing what we’re thankful for this holiday season.

I’m thankful…
- For my mom, who encouraged me to take my very first Red Cross Health & Safety course (Babysitter’s Training) when I was 11 years old.

- For my very first Red Cross supervisor, who looked past my youth and inexperience, recognized my passion for the Red Cross mission, and opened the Red Cross employment door for me.

- For the supervisors and co-workers who followed, who taught me the ins and outs of – as well as how to survive and thrive in – this complex and extensive organization. Oh, and they also taught me all of the Red Cross acronyms.

- For an inspirational elementary school teacher and her enthusiastic and creative third, fourth, and fifth grade students, who taught me as an adult that you don’t have to be old enough to donate blood to save hundreds of lives a year.

- For the generous individuals whose seemingly routine (to them) blood donations saved the life of a wonderful friend of mine.

- For my CPR training, without which I may not have known how to clear my nine-month-old son’s airway when he choked on a Cheerio.

- For ALL of the volunteers with whom I’ve worked and without whom the Red Cross could not exist. There are few greater gifts than one’s time, and Red Cross volunteers give that gift more graciously and generously than any other group of people I have ever have the privilege of knowing.

W.J. Cameron said, “Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.”

How will you actively give thanks this week? Will you put your Red Cross training into action by teaching a CPR class or responding to a house fire? Will you donate blood, assemble Comfort Kits, or serve a meal to someone in need?

Or will you share what you’re thankful for – Red Cross-related or otherwise – in the Comments section below or on the American Red Cross Facebook page? Take this easy first step toward actively giving thanks, and then see where it leads.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I always found interesting, however, the chapter on ABO blood typing and compatibility. Somehow the topic seemed more relevant to me than, say, osmosis or alcohol fermentation in yeast; I could easily understand the connection between the words and pictures on the pages and my real life health. Incidentally my very first blood donation, when I was 17-years-old and in high school, was motivated primarily by my desire to learn my blood type.

Last week I was skimming though the Red Cross Blood Services website, looking for a Red Cross blood drive in my area, when I came across the “Are You My Blood Type?” game. The goal of the game was to match a blood donor with a blood recipient before the time ran out. I spent a couple of minutes reviewing the chart of blood type matches, and then clicked “begin” to test my knowledge.

What I thought was a few minutes later I glanced up from the game to discover that I’d been playing for, I kid you not, 40 MINUTES. Negative: I didn’t finish the laundry or start dinner on time. Positive: I learned a great deal about blood compatibility – beyond what I’d learned from those high school biology textbooks – and was reminded of how important it is that everyone, especially those of us whose blood types are compatible with a significant number of recipients, donate blood regularly.

Click here to schedule an appointment to donate blood. If you don’t already know your blood type, the Red Cross will provide you with that information a few weeks after your donation on your blood donor card.

Click here to play the “Are You My Blood Type?” game, and click here to try out a few additional Red Cross Blood games. They’re fun, and I promise you’ll learn something along the way!

Now, back to the Red Cross Blood Services website to schedule my blood donation appointment!

Every Red Cross chapter, in accordance with the organization’s mission, “provides relief to victims of disaster and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies”. But many Red Cross chapters also coordinate unique programs, fundraisers, and outreach efforts that support the larger Red Cross mission.

One of my favorite Red Cross programs – Blood Battle – kicks off this week, and its arrival got me thinking about how I’d like to share some of these programs with you via this blog.

So without further adieu, please enjoy my first “Spotlight On…” post!

Blood Battle, now in its 30th year, is a blood collection competition between the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and Ohio State University in Columbus. Each year, during the two weeks leading up to the UM vs. OSU football game, students, faculty, staff, and community members donate blood at campus blood drives in an effort to help their school collect more pints of blood than are collected at the opposing school.

The competition is fierce: in 2007, OSU won by a mere three pints (or three donors) – a very small margin considering each school collected more than 2,000 pints. Last year, UM came out on top after collecting 2,615 pints compared to OSU’s 2,515 pints; that means that in 2010, Blood Battle brought in 5,130 pints of blood and potentially saved 15,390 lives. Incredible.

I’ve chosen Blood Battle as the subject of my first “Spotlight” post not because of the competition, but because of the collaboration. As Mark Huizenga, Blood Services Volunteer Coordinator for the Washtenaw County American Red Cross in Ann Arbor, put it, “Everyone gets a kick out of beating the school down south, but the real goal is to save as many lives as possible, and the community achieves this through campus-wide collaboration.”

During my six years at the Washtenaw County American Red Cross I saw firsthand the unbelievable collaborations that made this event – at least on the UM side of the competition – possible and successful. (Note: I’m certain collaboration is a big part of OSU’s efforts as well, but for this post I’ve chosen to focus on the partnerships I’ve seen in action at UM.)

While sponsored by the American Red Cross, Blood Battle has always been the “baby” of Blood Drives United (BDU) – the mission of which is to provide blood donation opportunities on the UM campus and educate students, faculty, and staff about the importance of blood donation – and its larger organization, the UM service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega (APO).

In 2005, when an American Red Cross Club (RCC) was founded at UM, the leaders of BDU and the RCC recognized an overlap in their clubs’ goals and set out to combine forces and make Blood Battle – and blood collection on the UM campus – bigger and stronger than it had ever been before.

The initial stages of collaboration were difficult. Unintentionally, feathers were ruffled, toes were stepped on, and boundaries were crossed. In those first two years, there was very little actual collaboration going on, and it showed – UM was “out-collected” in 2005, 2006, and 2007. “Not everyone sees eye-to-eye on everything,” said Aparna Ghosh, RCC Vice President. “But when the goal is one – as it is with Blood Battle – and everyone is united toward that common goal, differences are more easily set aside.”

By 2008, leaders from both clubs began to appreciate what the other group brought to table; BDU/APO brought history and experience and student connections, while the RCC brought new ideas, new blood (literally and figuratively), and name recognition. These contributions were slowly pieced together in a way that allowed everyone to be a part of Blood Battle’s success, and in 2008, 2009, and 2010, UM brought home the trophy. Said Kevin Weiss, one of the 2011 BDU Blood Battle Co-Chairs, “Blood Battle is a huge undertaking, and we are appreciative of any help we can get from other organizations such as the RCC. We feel that the more people we have involved, the greater the number of lives that can be saved.”

Kevin’s right. The key reason to allow, seek out, and then nurture collaboration, at least with regard to Blood Battle, is that more people involved (more clubs involved = more students involved = wider campus/community reach) translates to MORE LIVES SAVED. The success and lives saved as a result of Blood Battle are examples of what can be accomplished when organizations are willing to welcome others to the table and focus on a common goal.

Said Claire Smith, one of the RCC Blood Services Committee Co-Chairs, “All of the hours of work will be 100% worth it when I see student organizations working together to save thousands of lives…Recipients get the blood they need, donors leave with instant gratification, and the RCC and BDU/APO recognize the influence of their collaboration in the community.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. I will, however, add a little something…Go Blue!

How Zombies and Superheroes Conquered Highbrow Fiction [The Atlantic]*

How Twitter Tracks the Spread of Disease in Real Time [Mashable]

Keebler and Kisses Witch Hat [Instructables]**

Experimental Malaria Vaccine Slashes Infection Risk by Half [NPR Health Blog]

* and the Red Cross?

** You’ll get a Keebler cookie if you give blood. Do it before Halloween and try this out!

We advise you to continue to hydrate and to try not to exert yourself too much for the rest of the day. Thanks for donating, Tyler and Lori, and reward yourselves with a day of rest.