Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 11, 1994 TAG: 9401110007
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ray Reed
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A: There are 80 to 90 bloodmobile locations a month in the 43 counties of the Appalachian Red Cross region, said Bob Lutgen, director of donor resources.
Four were conducted Monday. Bloodmobiles are planned six to 12 months ahead to fit into the schedules of major corporations and schools, as well as churches and communities. These meet the ordinary demand.
Only the most dedicated donors show up during the Christmas holidays, though.
Schools and colleges send one-fourth of the region's blood donors home for the holidays.
Many corporations, especially furniture and textile companies that have good turnouts for bloodmobiles, take a two- or three-week break around Christmas for economic reasons.
Other donors hit the road to visit their families.
Toss in the complication that only 5 percent of people who are able to give blood actually do so.
The result: a holiday blood crisis.
The next bloodmobile visit to your area probably is scheduled. If you can help, call 985-3535.
Another blood point:
Q: Why is there such a demand for blood when there are safer alternatives such as blood substitutes and volume expanders that do not compromise a patient's immune system or expose them to possible infection with AIDS, hepatitis and other diseases? K.B.
A: Volume expanders don't transport oxygen the way real blood does, so their use is limited.
Blood substitutes are not licensed for general transfusion use. The fluorocarbon-based substitutes currently in research do have a few specific applications. However, they have a short life span, potential toxicity to kidneys and unstable results.
Neither volume expanders nor blood substitutes can take the place of transfusion products.
Sometime in the future, substitutes probably will be effective enough to go a long way toward averting tranfusion-related diseases.
King's name changed
Q: I'm getting ready to teach a unit on Martin Luther King and I recall an article saying that was not his original name. Can you find anything on this? C.P., Blacksburg
A: Born Michael Luther King Jr. in 1929, the future civil rights leader's name was changed at age 5 or 6 by his father.
Michael King Sr., who became pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta in 1932, visited Germany two years later and saw the historic sites where Martin Luther started the Reformation.
"Big Mike," as he was called by one biographer, was inspired to make the prophetic name change for himself and his son when he returned home.
Got a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.
by CNB