There are a lot of times that people who do not have to deal with a life-long illness or rare disease do not understand why there is so much passion around the cause or supporting that illness or disease. I want to share one of my whys. This blog comes at a challenging time. I…
This interview took place on 10/23/23.
I started my position at MEDIC Regional Blood Center in March 2023. Before that, I held several leadership positions at various East and Middle Tennessee hospitals and health systems. While leading a blood bank is different than a hospital or healthcare system there are similarities. Both require public outreach, both require compassion and empathy, and…
19 weeks and counting……. This week marks 19 weeks until the big race. As I prepared to kick off my One Dad Can initiative, I promised to be transparent and vulnerable. Well, in all transparency, the last several weeks have been very challenging for me. Don’t get me wrong, I have continued to receive pictures…
I met James Harrison through a mutual friend/colleague, Christy Newman, when discussing setup for a blood drive. Christy and I go back about 15 years (or more), and we were working to plan a blood drive at Arconic. In the process of planning, I mentioned looking for local leaders to serve on our advisory committee…
What are some of the biggest challenges facing a blood center today? Collecting blood from a diverse donor population is essential for maintaining a stable and well-supplied blood bank. A diverse donor population ensures an adequate supply of blood and blood-related products that can be used for different medical treatments and emergencies. It’s crucial to…
In blood banking, an alloantibody may be formed in response to pregnancy, transfusion, or transplantation. This alloantibody is targeted against a blood group antigen that is not present on the recipient’s red blood cells. This is a natural process as your body tries to defend itself from foreign substances. This process is called alloimmunization. People living with sickle cell disease…
The greatest moments in my life were learning that I would be a father. I have three awesome children: Jetta, James II, and Jaleece. Notice the theme with the spelling of the names. My two youngest, James and Jaleece, are my Sickle Cell Warriors because both were diagnosed with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) at birth.…
At MEDIC Regional Blood Center, we collect blood for the local hospitals of East Tennessee. Often, there are patients at these hospitals who have special transfusion needs or have a need for “rare blood.” One such group are patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). What is Sickle Cell Disease? It’s a genetic blood disorder that…
Nervous about the needle stick during the donation process? This video was made for you!
