Tripler Army Medical Center

       Public Affairs Office Media Release

_______________________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release                               Contact: Tripler Public Affairs Office, 808-433-5785

Release Number 05-009                                                                                        Jan. 26, 2005

 

 

 

Tripler’s Blood Donor Center faces

increased demand and smaller donor pool

 

Tripler Army Medical Center Public Affairs Office

 

HONOLULU—While the demand for blood has increased, Tripler Army Medical Center’s Blood Donor Center has a smaller donor pool to work with, according to Capt. Michael Bukovitz, its director.  The center is now conducting an awareness campaign to increase its donor pool on Oahu. 

 

“We highly encourage service members, retirees, military family members, and Department of Defense civilian employees to donate, and to donate more often,” Bukovitz said.

 

Demand has increased, because medical advances have increased the kinds and frequency of lifesaving procedures which require more blood supplies. Ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are also straining the Armed Services Blood Program, of which Tripler is one of 24 centers worldwide. Service members wounded and injured in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) now receive about 355 units of blood a week from the Armed Services Blood Program.

 

What’s not well known is that since the Vietnam War, the U.S. Armed Services have relied solely on the Armed Services Blood Program for their blood needs.  Hawaii’s location in the middle of the Pacific also creates a unique challenge. Because blood is perishable, the Tripler program cannot make up shortages by relying on other military blood donation centers on the mainland that are too many miles and hours away. Tripler also doesn’t rely on the well-known Blood Bank of Hawaii program.

 

For more information on how to donate, call the Tripler blood donor center at 433-6195.

 

 

 

by Leslie Ozawa

 

Quality of Human Being Award

At a recognition ceremony Jan. 14, Sgt. 1st Class Scott Belzer of Tripler Army Medical Center (at right) was one of 14 platelet donors and 38 whole blood donors honored by Tripler’s Commanding General Maj. Gen. Gale S. Pollock. Pollock told the donors that as a  nurse anesthetist, she had the privilege to personally watch how their precious gift gave life to patients in the operating room. “The fact that you so willingly do this and take the time from other things important to you, speaks to the quality of human beings you are,” Pollock said.  

 

               by Leslie Ozawa

 

A Giver Who Keeps Giving

David Trojan is assisted by Tripler Army Medical Center Blood Donor Center’s Racquel Duran, in making another blood donation after being honored by Tripler’s Commanding General Maj. Gen. Gale S. Pollock at a recognition ceremony Jan. 14. Trojan, a civilian working at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe, has donated four pints of blood in the past year.

                                                   by Leslie Ozawa

 

Quality of Human Being Award

At a recognition ceremony Jan. 14, Petty Officer 1st Class Michael E. Flores of Naval Submarine Training Center Pacific (at right) was one of 14 platelet donors and 38 whole blood donors honored by Tripler’s Commanding General Maj. Gen. Gale S. Pollock. Pollock told the donors that as a nurse anesthetist, she had the privilege to personally watch how their precious gift gave life to patients in the operating room. “The fact that you so willingly do this and take the time from other things important to you, speaks to the quality of human beings you are,” Pollock said. 

 

 

                      by Leslie Ozawa

 

Quality of Human Being Award

At a recognition ceremony Jan. 14, Tech. Sgt. Joseph A. Adkins of Pacific Air Forces Headquarters (at right) was one of 14 platelet donors and 38 whole blood donors honored by Tripler’s Commanding General Maj. Gen. Gale S. Pollock. Pollock told the donors that as a nurse anesthetist, she had the privilege to personally watch how their precious gift gave life to patients in the operating room. “The fact that you so willingly do this and take the time from other things important to you, speaks to the quality of human beings you are,” Pollock said.