The Blood Donor Center is comprised of donor recruiters, phlebotomists, Registered Nurses, Clinical Laboratory Scientists, Component Manufacturing Staff, administrative leadership, and volunteers. The Blood Donor Center Team is responsible for the effective and accurate collection and processing of blood products to provide a safe transfusion for our patients at CHLA.
Our patients are often battling tough illnesses and the demand for blood products may exceed the CHLA's available supply. Specifically, a neuroblastoma patient required multiple transfusion as well as stem cell products. The family recognized this need. They thought not only of their child but the other pediatric patients as well. With the concerted efforts of the Blood Donor Center Team and the family, over 50 donors made their way out to CHLA to donate blood. In addition, multiple successful blood drives were organized in the patient's honor. St. Baldrick's Foundation, a childhood cancer charity that funds cancer research took part in the event. Our patient, who had finally grown some hair, volunteered to donate his hair to St. Baldrick's Foundation in support of their research work for oncology pediatric patients. This story inspired many other organizations and schools to host a blood drive. St. Francis High School in La Canada has been hosting blood drives for many years honored our patient by making him a co-captain of their football team.
The team at the Blood Donor Center and the generous act of our patients and families truly depict the CHLA values. They always exhibit a positive attitude and strive hard to help patients achieve their full recovery. This patient had been a great inspiration to others who are also battling an illness. Despite his tough situation, he remained hopeful not only for himself but also for other pediatric patients. His illness was never in the way of his thinking how he could make a difference to his community and to the other patient's lives. BDC helped him achieve that goal.
Patients' lives are being transformed by the donated blood that is required for their treatment and recovery. The BDC is at the forefront of donor education, blood drive preparation, and family support. It takes a great amount of work and dedication to make blood drives possible. The BDC team starts as early as 4:00 AM to travel and to set up prior to the drive. They travel all over town, anywhere in Southern California from Ventura to San Clemente. With all the recruitment strategies from the BDC team, support from the hospital and our patient's families CHLA has become 95% self-sustainable which is unique for a hospital-based collection facility for our size.
The entire BDC team serves all patients and their families with the highest level of care possible. From donor recruitment, safe donor collection to efficient product manufacturing, each step is crucial to making sure that all the patients get the utmost care and safest possible blood transfusion.
Our patient and the family's blood drive efforts with the BDC Team has raised awareness about blood donation. Development of relationships within the community occurred because of the inspiration and positive influence that our patient provided coupled with the BDC Team's dedication to making this happen. The family hosted blood drives and provided education to potential donors. The team at the CHLA Blood Donor Center is highly involved both externally with patients and the community, and internally with each other and other areas of the hospital.

Team Members honored with the DAISY Team Award:
Jacqueline Tagliere, MT(ASCP), SBB
Charif El Masri, MT(ASCP), SBB
Aileen Jenkins, MT(ASCP), HP
Suzanne Heri, MT(ASCP), SBB
Brian Cook, RN
Andriana Pavlovich, RN
Kenia Silvestre, RN
Roger Gonzalez, CPT
Arturo Marin
Rene Orantes
Margarita Martinez
Cesar Sarmiento
Grecia Garcia, CPT
Cindy Nakamoto
George Merida
Raul Gonzalez
Ruben Contreras
Adan Carbajal
Jonathan Chase Potts, BSN, RN
Jin Ah Kim, RN
Joowan Bang, BSN, RN