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Charles Drew Community Blood Donation Campaign

After a successful launch in the St. Louis area, the Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region decided to expand the Charles Drew Community Blood Donation Campaign into other areas. The program was implemented in the Greater Kansas City area in February 2002, partnering with The Children's Mercy Hospital.

The Charles Drew Community Blood Donation Campaign seeks to improve care of patients afflicted with sickle cell disease (an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells in which a patient frequently requires blood transfusions). The campaign strives to provide a special match – an African-American donor and an African-American patient with sickle cell disease. African-Americans with some critical diseases (like sickle cell) requiring regular transfusions are less likely to experience physical reactions from blood donated by another African-American.

Attending physician for the program in Kansas City is Gerald M. Woods, M.D., F.A.A.P., chief, Section of Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology at The Children's Mercy Hospital. He cites as a motivating factor the positive effects the campaign has had on kids currently being treated by Dr. Michael DeBaun, director of the Sickle Cell Medical Treatment and Education Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital.

Currently, 20 patients receive transfusions at The Children's Mercy Hospital. According to Dr. Woods, all but one are receiving transfusions for primary or secondary stroke prevention. This new initiative will find a network of support in Kansas City according to Charles Swinton, chair of the Charles Drew Community Advisory Board of Kansas City and board president of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Kansas City Chapter. "I think the community will support it very well," he says. "The American Red Cross has very high credibility here."

If you have ever donated blood, chances are you know that your donation is helping to save a life. The Charles Drew Community Blood Donation Campaign takes saving life through blood donation one step further by working to save the lives of children afflicted with sickle cell disease.
American Red Cross
Greater Kansas City Chapter
211 W. Armour Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64111 USA		         Phone 816-931-8400
Fax 816-531-7306		 United Way Member Agency

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