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From the Desk of:
Col. Richard H. McBride, Director, ASBPO
 All of our donors play a vital role in saving lives, but this month we pay special tribute to the mothers who support our program. Inside our May issue of Focal Point, you will find some of our favorite mom stories from years past, meet Esther Ramos, an inspirational mother and an employee at the Lackland Blood Donor Center, and discover a real life "supermom" in Okinawa, Japan. We also check in with the Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune where a joint blood drive resulted in the collection of more than 40 units of blood in a single day, thanks in part to the Stroller Warriors organization. On behalf of the entire Armed Services Blood Program, thank you and Happy Mother's Day! In closing, it is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I share this news. Navy Capt. (Ret) Jean Scherrer passed away May 3. She is a graduate of the Specialist in Blood Banking Fellowship, Class of 1993. My deepest sympathies and condolences to her family, friends and shipmates. She will be missed.
Best regards,
Col. Richard H. McBride |
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Honoring the Mothers of the Military Blood Program
 In honor of Mother's Day, we would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the many mothers who support the Armed Services Blood Program. Mothers have been baking cookies, watching their neighbor's children so they have time to donate and supporting our military men and women for as long as we can remember. It's not like we needed more reasons to adore the mothers that support the ASBP, but if we did these lifesaving reasons would certainly be some them:
Mothers donate blood: Marilyn Durso donated blood to honor her son and his friend, 1st Lt. Nicholas Vogt. Vogt required more than 500 units of blood after being injured by a roadside bomb. Read her story. Mothers sponsor blood drives: The Bluestar Mothers of America Inc., teamed up with the Waco Veterans Affairs Medical Center to successfully sponsor an ASBP blood drive that collected more than a dozen blood donations. Read their story. Mothers encourage their family members to donate: Cressida Sechrengost, an emergency medical technician and a mother of two, encouraged both of her daughters to follow in her footsteps and donate blood to the ASBP. Read her story. Mothers provide a great donation experience for donors: Darlynn Wright, apheresis nurse with at the Armed Services Blood Bank Center-Pacific Northwest and proud mother of two grown sons, has been managing therapeutic patients and platelet donors since August 2006. Her motivation, professionalism and baking have made her a highly regarded member of the blood donor center staff -- from coworkers and donors alike! Read her story. We aren't done yet! Meet more awesome moms -- including one mother on staff and another who donates blood -- in this issue of the Focal Point. We're pretty sure it will make you appreciate ASBP moms just as much as we do. |
No Uniform Required
The ASBP Focal Point civilian hero of the month
 Mother of four Esther Ramos is known at the Lackland Blood Donor Center for a lot of things -- her dedication to the Armed Services Blood Program, her smile and her banners. Ramos, who has been at the blood donor center for nearly nine years, has been making banners and cards for many of the people that retire or deploy from the blood donor center. That's something that not only gave her the recent honor of being the Lackland Blood Donor Center's employee of the month in March, it also has garnered her the upmost respect from her employees and her children.
"I love my mom's banners. They are great," said Ramos' daughter, Airman 1st Class April Ramos. "I think many people appreciate them because she takes her personal time to make them and make whoever they are for feel special and appreciated. ... My mom loves to make those banners, but I think she loves the expressions on people's faces when they see what she's done for them more!"
Find out more about Esther Ramos and her daughter -- including a glimpse at one of her banners -- by reading the entire story on the ASBP website.
Image: Esther Ramos and her daughter, Airman 1st Class April Ramos.
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Picture This!
The ASBP Focal Point picture of the month
"I donate blood because... 'I am supermom!!!'"
Supermom, indeed! This mom recently donated blood at the Armed Services Blood Bank Center in Okinawa, Japan. As part of their "Why I Donate" campaign, she shared her reason for donating blood to ill or injured service members, veterans and their families. What a great reason it is!
Check out more photos from ASBBC's "Why I Donate" campaign by visiting their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/okinawablood
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Industry News
FDA Approves Leukoreduction Device On April 25, the Food and Drug Administration released an approval letter for a new leukocyte reduction filtration system for whole blood with anticoagulant citrate phosphate dextrose solution (CPD) and SOLX additives. The system is intended to collect and leukoreduce CPD whole blood and process the collection into AS-7 red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma. Because the disintegration of leukocytes in whole blood after collection can cause an unwanted immune response, reducing the amount of white blood cells before storage could help minimize the risk of a transfusion reaction after infusion. Additionally, after being processed through the new filtration system, AS-7 red blood cells can be stored for up to 42 days after collection. The appearance of links and product names does not constitute endorsement of linked websites or products or services therein. |
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Checkin' in with the:
Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Recently, the 2nd Marine Headquarters Group and the Stroller Warriors teamed up and held a blood drive in support of the Armed Services Blood Program. Sharing the same goal, both groups set out to get as many participants as they could. Because of their efforts, this very successful drive collected more than 40 units of blood and secured itself as one of the highest collecting new blood drives for the blood donor center at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Established in 2010, the Stroller Warriors is an exclusive military club located on military installations only. Led by active duty military spouses, the club promotes happier, healthier living by focusing on fitness, friendship and community service. Camp Lejeune is one of the club's nine chapters worldwide. Veronica Johnessee, a military spouse and an active member of the Stroller Warriors, helped co-coordinate the blood drive with the ASBP.
Find out more about the blood drive with the 2nd Marine Headquarters Group and the Stroller Warriors by reading the entire article on the ASBP website.
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Congratulations to "Our Very Own"
Congratulations to the Armed Services Blood Program's new Navy Captain Select -- Cmdr. Roland L. Fahie, director of the U.S. Navy Surgeon General Navy Blood Program, and Army Maj. (P) Jason B. Corley, the Armed Services Blood Program Operations deputy director, to Lieutenant Colonel. Fahie has been the director of the Navy Blood Program for almost three years, and Corley reported to ASBP in August.
Image: Navy Captain Select, Cmdr. Roland L. Fahie (left) and Army Maj. (P) Jason B. Corley (right)
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Service before self, it's not just a motto for some. In this story, Corporal Malcolm Payne introduces us to one man who has taken saving lives to a epic level. Thank you to AFN Okinawa for the wonderful video!
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