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TWINS MEET BLOOD DONORS WHO HELP SAVE THIER LIVES
by Amy Brooks, Friday February 22, 2008
Arizona Republic -- azcentral.com
NORTHEAST VALLEY -- Ten-year-old identical twins Joshua and Jordan Buchananof Chandler thanked blood donors, and blood-drive coordinators last Friday for saving their lives.
"Blood donors save my sons' lives over and over," the boys' mother, Kristine Buchanan, said in a prepared statement."
United Blood Services honored blood-drive coordinators during the 32nd annual Valentines for Life awared ceremony and luncheon at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in northeast Phoenix. Among the 250 people receiving awards, 230 received the service's Valentine for Life award for reaching significant milestones in recruiting blood donors.
At the ceremony, Joshua and Jordan got the chance to meet with some of teh donors from whom they received blood and to tell them how much it means to those needing life-saving transfusions.
"I want to thank you for just waking up one day and going to the hospital and getting pokes just for people like us," Joshua said.
Joshual and Jordan were born with sickle-cell disease, a painful disorder that causes their red blood cells to become deformed. It can require life-saving blood transfusions every couple of months. Together, they have received more than 100 transfusions.
Ken lews of Mesa, an employee for SRP, found out blood he donated went to Joshua. "I'm just so pleased that it went to a child," Lewis said. "It makes me want to donate more often."
David Lucas, a regular donor at Wells Fargo in Chandler, donated blood that seven days later went to Jordan. He said when he found out his blood type was the universal O-negative, he knew he had to donate.
"I donate with the hope that I inspure others that have my universal blood type to donate and to give to a mother, a father, a child like Joshua and Jordan," Lucas said.
Blood-drive coordinators recognized by United Blood are business people from all over the Valley. "Blood-drive coordinators are voices for United Blood Services and they speak loud and clear about people needing to donate blood," said Sue Thew, United Blood spokeswoman.
Twenty coordinators received the services "Hero Award. Among them, four were from Scottsdale, four from Phoenix and two were from Tempe.
The top award winner was Dan Jonuska of Saturn of Scottsdale. He received the Bill Shover Leadership Award for outstanding services as an advocate and leader for the community blood program. Shover, now retired, was a longtime executive for the Arizona Republic.
Jonuska said he teamed with Saturn dealerships from Avondale, Tempe and Arrowhead. The four dealerships donated a new car, which they raffled off to get people to come in and donate.
"We take it as a challenge," Jonuska said. "Where other facilities have one (donor) bus, we have two."
Kirstine Buchanan founded the Quest to Cure organization to raise awareness about sickle-cell disease. Information: www.questtocure.org.
