Lauren Larsen became a multi-gallon blood recipient during the near-fatal birth of her only child. Several of her actual blood donors talk about what it was like to meet Lauren-and her family-in person four years after helping to save her life. This narrative underscores the direct connection between blood donors and the people whose lives they impact. This blood donation advocacy video was produced by In The Telling with educational funding from Johnson & Johnson.
Patient Stories at the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center
Every time you donate blood you help save a life. Sound extreme? Not to the patients whose lives have been saved through the efforts of our donors. Read on to hear some of their stories.
John-Paul Quintero
"Because of a rare form of anemia that my 3 year old son has, he needs blood transfusions every two to three weeks in order to survive.
So I urge you... make that call, make the time and donate blood. It doesn't cost a thing and it's worth more than all the money in the world - It's the gift of life and you can give it."
– Marisol Quintero Jonn's Mother
Alyssa Gomez
"You don't know how important donating blood is until you're sick." That's what Alyssa Gomez tells people and she knows it's true. In the fall of 2004, Alyssa was diagnosed with leukemia; her treatment requires that she receive both whole blood and platelets. And thanks to everyone who donated at the UCLA blood drive for Alyssa at Canterbury Elementary School and, thanks also to many UCLA Blood & Platelet Center donors, Alyssa is getting the treatment she needs.
We're proud to be a part of Alyssa's team, helping provide community support so that Alyssa, with her amazing attitude and big smile, will be able to do all the things a 9th grader wants to do: dance, act, model and enjoy the company of her good friends and loving family. You became part of Alyssa's Team, a team that included doctors, nurses, family and friends and now you!"
Gary Livitski
"When the third of my three consecutive bone marrow transplants worked, I didn't know who was happier, me or the nearly 80 people who came into the UCLA Blood & Platelet Center and donated blood and platelets for me. Almost daily, for the entire three months that I was a patient at UCLA my friends, my family, and/or my fellow officers from the Beverly Hills Police Department came into the donor center to donate. And without fail their experiences were fantastic.
Their time constraints were accommodated and any scheduling issues were handled. Even today, 4 years later, many of them still donate; and they do because they believe it's just the right thing to do. When people talk about donating as giving The Gift of Life they mean it. The more than 184 units of blood, platelets, and plasma I received helped save mine."
"You don't know how important donating blood is until you're sick." That's what Alyssa Gomez tells people and she knows it's true. In the fall of 2004, Alyssa was diagnosed with leukemia; her treatment requires that she receive both whole blood and platelets. And thanks to everyone who donated at the UCLA blood drive for Alyssa at Canterbury Elementary School and, thanks also to many UCLA Blood & Platelet Center donors, Alyssa is getting the treatment she needs.
"When the third of my three consecutive bone marrow transplants worked, I didn't know who was happier, me or the nearly 80 people who came into the UCLA Blood & Platelet Center and donated blood and platelets for me. Almost daily, for the entire three months that I was a patient at UCLA my friends, my family, and/or my fellow officers from the Beverly Hills Police Department came into the donor center to donate. And without fail their experiences were fantastic.
