Save three lives in one hour

  • Published
  • By Katie Borgert
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Dr. Seuss once said, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."

Three lives. That's what you can save by caring enough to donate blood. A simple process that takes less than an hour can end up saving the lives of three people.

The Air Force Sergeants Association will be hosting a blood drive with the Armed Services Blood Program on July 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Schilling Recreation Center Ballroom.

"[Hosting a blood drive] is a way for us to give back to the community," said Tech. Sgt. Jennell Chalk, a member of AFSA. "We've done other fundraisers before, but a blood drive is a way for us to give back."

Airman 1st Class Thomas Labeau, also a member of AFSA, recalls a life-changing event that he hopes will encourage others to give blood.

While home for the holidays last year, Airman Labeau and three friends were making the drive from Detroit to Pontiac, Mich., when the front left tire of the vehicle they were in snapped off and flew over the overpass into the oncoming lanes of traffic. Once the driver was able to get the car under control, Airman Labeau and a friend went to find the missing tire.

"We go over the overpass and we see this car over to the side and there's a guy freaking out, an older guy," remembers Airman Labeau. "We run over there and their front windshield is just devastated, it had hit the windshield and hit the top of the roof at the same time, right where it meets, and it had collapsed down the roof, shattered the windshield and hit the woman in the face.

"She was a mess. At times like that, instinct just kind of kicks in. We got her in the back seat, leaned her back, my friend started working on getting the bleeding to stop. I got some ice and we got the swelling down while we were waiting for the ambulance. She ended up having a broken cheekbone, lost all of her front teeth, broken nose, broken jaw, and pretty bad blood loss," said Airman Labeau.

"She was in really terrible shape but she took blood and recovered. A 65-year-old lady," Airman Labeau reluctantly stated.

"It's situations like that where you really get to see what your donations actually do for people," said Airman Labeau. "I donate every chance I get."

According to americasblood.org, while only 37 percent of Americans are eligible to donate blood, less than 10 percent do annually. That means over 82 million people in the United States are eligible to donate blood, but don't. About 43,000 pints of blood are used in the United States and Canada daily, someone needs blood every two seconds, and 4.5 million Americans need a blood transfusion each year. If every eligible person donated blood just three times a year, the likelihood of a blood shortage would be greatly decreased.

"Once people actually realize it's somebody's grandma, somebody's mother they just saved because of donating, it's a small thing they just don't think about; 'hey, I could save this family from being torn apart,'" stated Airman Labeau, hoping his story would cause others to consider donating blood. "You take life into a higher value when you realize how fragile it actually is."

This blood drive gives anyone who wants to help an opportunity to support AFSA and ASBP, as well as become a regular blood donor. It just takes an hour out of the donor's life to add years to someone else's.

The members of AFSA and the ASBP are asking donors to make an appointment so they will be able to fit in every donor who wishes to come to the blood drive. People who are planning to donate can contact Tech. Sgt. Shakia Lafleur at 634-8979 or Sergeant Chalk at 634-6092.