Vol. 10, Issue 8
Page 9
Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013
USAG Ansbach community members served extra rare: Blood program visits Katterbach Physical Fitness Center By Bryan Gatchell, USAG Ansbach Public Affairs ANSBACH, Germany – Blood is life. The heart pumps, and it is through blood that oxygen replenishes the body. The heart pumps, and it is through blood that carbon dioxide and other chemical wastes are channeled out of the body. It is through blood precious nutrients reach the organs and muscles. It is through the blood that a stable core temperature is kept. It is through blood the body builds and rebuilds itself. And it is through blood that hospitals keep their patients alive, which makes the bodily fluid so precious. Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers at U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach arranged for the Armed Services Blood Program to visit Katterbach Physical Fitness Center Feb. 20. “It’s all about giving,” said Spc. Shellan Francois, BOSS president at USAG Ansbach. “There may be a child in need, or one of us may get hurt or injured and our Family member can’t support us – they [may] not have the right match. … Everyday someone’s in need of that one quart or that one pint of blood.” “If we don’t do it, nobody else is going to do it for us,” said Sgt. Kevin Andre Garcia, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, USAG Ansbach. “This blood is from the military, for the military,” Sgt. Haley Hilderbrand, a medical technician with ASBP. “You’re saving Soldiers’ lives, Soldiers’ Family members’ lives.” Throughout the basketball court, stations were set up in a clockwise sequence. At the first station, donors signed in and grabbed a folder. At the second station, donors answered preliminary questions as ASBP blood technicians looked them up in the database. At the third station, technicians asked donors a series of questions to assess eligibility to donate. Medical history is discussed at this station. Colds, influenza,
immune deficiencies, pregnancy, immunizations and surgeries might result in deferral of donation. Geography and the risk of contracting illnesses while visiting certain countries can result in deferrals both temporary and permanent. Due to the possibility of having contracted Creutzfeldt-Jakobs disease, better known as mad cow disease, people who have lived in Europe for certain lengths of time may not be able to donate. Soldiers who have returned from Southwest Asia may also be ineligible for several months. “Unfortunately, due to the redeployment, not too many people can give blood right now,” said Darlene Hines, an adviser to BOSS. “It’s a great opportunity for someone who can give blood.” “I am able to [donate], and not everybody is able to,” said Laura Irick, Army family member. “Not everyone is healthy and can provide healthy blood. And there’s a need for it.” At the fourth station, blood pressure and iron levels are checked to make sure that the donor is fit enough at that time to donate. “Have a good meal,” Hilderbrand recommends to potential donors before they donate. Being well hydrated and well fed can mean the difference between a life-giving and a lifedraining experience. If it is determined donors are fit to give, they grab a bag at the fifth station and take it to the sixth station where the blood is drawn. After several minutes reclined as blood pumps into a bag, which a machine rocks back and forth beneath the seat, the needle is extracted, the vein is gauzed and wrapped, and the donor, only one pint poorer, makes his way to the seventh station. There high-sugar drinks and snacks are available. Donors should wait there to ensure they are physically well enough to drive or walk home. In the following hours, donors should drink lots of liquids, leave their bandages on and avoid heavy lifting. Donors should also
Photos by Bryan Gatchell / USAG Ansbach Public Affairs
Above: Sgt. Haley Hilderbrand, a medical technician with the Armed Services Blood Program, draws blood from a donor at Katterbach Physical Fitness Center Feb. 20 during a blood drive. Below: Megan Krape, a medical technician with the Armed Services Blood Program, explains to Sgt. Kevin Andre Garcia, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach, what he should do to properly take care of himself for the 24 hours after donation. ASBP visited USAG Ansbach Feb. 20. They are scheduled to visit USAG Bamberg May 7 and USAG Schweinfurt May 8.
not exercise or perform other strenuous activities for a full 24 hours. If donors get a cold or flu in the next two weeks, they should call the blood donation center. ASBP is scheduled to hold a drive at USAG Bamberg May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Basics Building, Bldg. 7011, and at the Freedom Fitness Center, Bldg. 7680. ASBP will be at USAG Schweinfurt at the Finney Fitness Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 8. To learn more, visit www. militarydonor.com.