“The best view comes after the hardest climb,” says the signature line of Karen Gerlach’s email. She and her husband, Radford professor Juergen Gerlach, were recently active and avid hikers until his diagnosis with a rare form of leukemia last autumn. Now, as the family deals with the disease that requires pints and pints of blood, Karen is leading an effort to raise awareness for the American Red Cross blood drive being held 1-6 p.m., Friday, June 21 at the Radford Parks and Rec Center.
Cancer treatment often requires blood transfusions. Gerlach’s leukemia and its treatment have knocked out the bone marrow. Bone marrow produces the red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout a person’s body and the white blood cells that protect us from infections.
In their comfortable house off Wadsworth Avenue – bumper stickers on the cars in the drive say, “NRV: Hiked it. Liked it.” and “If there’s a mountain we’ll go,” – Karen and Juergen talk about giving blood.
Karen said, “I’ve had friends come up to me and say, “How can I donate blood for him?” and I said, “I don’t know” so, I called the Red Cross and said, “Can we have a blood drive for my husband?” Not necessarily that the blood will go to him but just because he’s getting units of blood and I thought it would be nice if we gave something back.”
The American Red Cross said “Yes. We can do that. It’s called “In Honor of”.
“In Honor of” means that friends of his – I invited Facebook friends and friends of his can come and donate blood in his honor.”
The American Red Cross makes it easy to find a blood drive near you by entering your zip code on their site: www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?order=DATE&range=10&zipSponsor=24073
Whether car accidents or other life-threatening situations like the cancer that Juergen Gerlach and his family are currently dealing with, the organization urges type O donors to give now to ensure that blood is available for patients.
“Every two seconds someone, somewhere needs blood, one donation can save three lives,” writes Sandy Meyers, donor recruiter for the American Red Cross in Roanoke.
Blood is a perishable product and while all blood types are needed, the American Red Cross has a critical shortage of type O blood, the kind of blood that can be used by anyone.
Many people give blood as a matter of civic duty.
Kaya Lambert, Deputy Clerk at the Montgomery County Circuit Court who is only 28 (and Type O) has been giving blood for years.
“I said, “What can I do?” You might feel helpless even if you don’t see the end result you know you’re making a difference. It’s quik and painless and then you feel good about yourself.”
Not only are there usually cookies and juice at a blood drive, when your donors come to give blood at any drive between June 11-30 they’ll be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to meet the boys and attend the final show of the Mixtape Tour on July 14 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Trip includes airfare for your donor and a friend, two-nights beachfront resort accommodations, Mixtape Tour concert tickets, New Kids on the Block meet-n-greet and a $250 gift card for expenses.
For information about when and where to donate blood, visit www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood
