We've gone to the dogs...well one dog in particular, little Abbe Normal, a wonder dog you might say! Thanks to celebrity bar tender Abbe Normal, her amazing owner Loree Gracey and Souza Family Vineyards, we launched our outreach campaign to raise awareness of our need for more Platelet donors! On Oct. 4th Abbe, Loree, and Bob and Patty Souza hosted a wonderful event to raise financial support and awareness for the increasing need for platelets by patients nationwide. Platelets are needed to counteract the effects of chemotherapy, in advance of surgery, and with any clotting disorder or trauma situation. The process to collect that component of the blood is a little more involved and done exclusively at our two locations in Bakersfield.

Loree began donating platelets after she learned of their life saving properties and has been very passionate about encouraging others to consider joining this team of lifesavers! Once a month she travels to Bakersfield and spends a couple of hours at the Houchin donor center of her choice to impact the most lives with her donation! While whole blood is still in constant demand, new protocols have actually reduced the need for red cell transfusions. This is not the case with platelets. Because this product is in constant and increasing demand, and has an exceptionally short shelf life of only 5 days after testing, and can only be collected via state-of-the-art automated donation equipment available only in Bakersfield, we have our work cut out for us!!

The great news is people like Loree and charming three pound doggies like Abbe (shhh...I don't think she knows she is a dog) have lent their celebrity you might say...to help us meet the need. With the funds raised by their Celebrity Bartender stint at Souza Family Vineyard, Houchin has developed a special winter program for any donor who donates through our automated donation, or Trima program (giving platelets, plasma or double reds) from Nov. 1, 2015 to Jan.30, 2016. Each Tehachapi area donor of platelets or other blood components through Trima during that time will be entered to win a $250 gift card. Depending on your blood type, platelet count and our inventory, we will let you know how you can best help us on any given day. For an appointment please call (661)616-2505 and specify you would like to make an appointment to donate through our Trima program. Whether you are donating on the mobiles in Tehachapi (the next one is Nov.10, see our ad in this issue), or donating through our Trima program in Bakersfield, we want you to remember, we cannot save lives without you. That is why we always remind our community- People live, when people give.