1 in 8 U.S. Women will develop breast cancer - You can help!
Loucinda D. received a devastating breast cancer diagnosis when she was in her 30s. Chemotherapy treatments and their side effects were rough enough—then she needed platelets, which weren’t immediately available.
“In order to receive chemo, your platelets have to be above 100,000 and mine were 9,000. I headed to the emergency room for a platelet transfusion, only to have to wait for platelets to be driven to the hospital from two hours away.”
Blood donors ensure that the one in eight women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer, like Loucinda, don’t have to wait for relief. Platelets, the part of blood that makes it clot, are one of the three components (along with red blood cells and plasma) that each blood donation provides.
“I could have died without platelets. Platelets are extremely important to cancer patients like me,” says Loucinda. She also received two red blood cell transfusions during her treatment, and has been cancer-free for four years. “Every year that goes by, is one more year to be thankful to be alive!”
Your unique blood type is especially needed at this time to help hospital patients!
Your blood donation for Breast Cancer Awareness Month gives patients like Loucinda hope – and one less thing to worry about as they fight their disease.
