|
Mom Saves Daughter from Choking
In February of 2007, Leslie Cooper of Battle Creek, trained in American Red Cross Adult, Infant and Child CPR/AED, helped save the life of her daughter, Trinity Cooper.
While eating at Mancinos Pizza and Grinders in Battle Creek, Trinity started choking on a piece of meat. Trinity clearly could not breathe and needed assistance. Leslie performed one series of back blows to clear the airway. Trinity then expelled the food that she was choking on and started to breathe normally again. Without a doubt, the skills learned in the American Red Cross Health and Safety Services course that Leslie Cooper took and her ability to quickly identify an emergency and get into action saved Trinity′s life.
It is great to know that there are people like Leslie Cooper in our community who are ready to respond to an emergency when needed! Thank you Leslie!
Blood Donor and Blood Recipient
 When David Hyslop was asked
why he donates blood through the American Red Cross blood donation program,
he tells about how his interest started even before he was eligible
to give blood himself. While growing up, David′s father and uncles
donated and instilled in him the importance of helping others through
voluntary blood donations.
He began donating blood, along
with his cousins, two times a year in the 1960′s. As the years passed,
his interest and enthusiasm grew. Donors are eligible to give every
56 days and by the late 1980′s; David made a commitment to being an
every 56 day donor. This commitment brings David′s blood donation
total to an incredible 19 gallons. That means a whopping 152 units!
Since one pint of blood can be broken down into its different components
for use, David′s donations through the years may have helped save
the lives of more than 6,000 people!
David and his family are willing
to donate blood to anyone that may need it. Unfortunately, last summer,
something happened that really struck home. David′s daughter, Amanda
Hyslop-Patrick, sustained tremendous injuries in a horrendous accident
that required her to receive six units of blood. Hospitals use type
O negative blood in most emergency trauma cases when there is not enough
time to determine a patient′s blood type. Type O negative can be transfused
to almost anyone and is often called the universal blood type. While all
blood types are greatly needed, type O blood is needed in particular
as it can be used for situations like Amanda′s.
Amanda says, "I feel blessed."
She gives thanks to blood donors and fabulous doctors. While Amanda
agrees it was difficult to talk about the accident, she also says, “I
am willing to do anything I can to get the word out about the importance
of donating blood.”
The family′s commitment to
donating spans the past, present and future. Members of the Hyslop family,
including Amanda, donated prior to the accident. Amanda′s sister Angela
Glubke recently donated for the first time joining her husband Scott
who has donated approximately 12 units. David states that he will continue
to donate blood as it is a quiet, simple way to help others in need.
The Hyslop family is an extraordinary
example of a family that is committed to helping save lives in our community!
To learn more about donating blood, please call 269-962-7528.
The American Red Cross is a
United Way Program Delivery Partner.
Greg Polnasek of Albion, Michigan
|
On January 9, 2005, Greg Polnasek of Albion, trained in American Red Cross Standard First Aid with AED, helped to save the life of Tim Rucks.
While attending an out of state coaching conference, Greg Polnasek had just come out of a workshop when he saw a group of coaches gathered around a person on the floor. Greg approached the victim and checked for signs of circulation. Finding none, Greg asked if anyone knew how to perform CPR. A gentleman stepped forward and began chest compressions while Greg administered rescue breaths. After the third or fourth cycle of CPR, Tim Rucks started to breathe. EMS arrived on the scene and took over the care of Mr. Rucks.
Without a doubt, the skills learned in
|
|
the American Red Cross Health and Safety Services course and used by Greg Polnasek, contributed to saving the life of Tim Rucks. For this act, Greg Polnasek has been awarded the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit. This is the highest award given by the American Red Cross to an individual or team of individuals who save or sustain a life by using skills and knowledge learned in an American Red Cross Health and Safety Services course.
The certificate bears the signature of the President of the United States, who is the honorary chairman of the American Red Cross, and the signature of the chairman of the American Red Cross. This action exemplifies the highest degree of concern of one human being for another who is in distress.
|
Jim Doty of Battle Creek, Michigan
|
To all of us at the American Red Cross Jim Doty is a hero. He has volunteered, giving blood, since 1953 at the age of 18. In the fifty two years Jim has donated, the Red Cross has received over 25 gallons of his precious blood. All the blood that he has graciously given has saved more than 600 lives.
Jim started giving blood because he saw his parents donate when he was a child during World War II. He decided that he also wanted to do this. He was 18 and at boot camp in San Diego, CA., when he gave for the first time. Jim said it was an easy decision to make because it, "May save a comrade's life, or my own."
Jim says he marks his calendar every 56 days after he has given blood so that he knows when it's time to donate again.
In the years he's lived in Battle Creek, Mi., Jim has gone to the American Red Cross Chapter or the church to donate blood.
|
Photographed with Jim is a long time friend, John Baker.
He said giving blood is beneficial to him, knowing that he has helped so many people, and it's a very easy thing to do. Jim is also very active in other areas of community services.
CONGRATULATIONS JIM!
|
Charity Navigator is America's premiere independent charity
evaluator. Click on the logo to review our four star rating.
|
|
|
