20 years of blood, platelets donations through the veins of a DeGowin regular
Local donor celebrates more than 250 donations to University of Iowa Health Care’s DeGowin Blood Center
People lying back in comfy chairs with their feet propped up and a Netflix show streaming on their phones. It sounds like a scene from a spa.
There’s just one major difference though. They all have blood flowing out of their arms at the UI Health Care’s DeGowin Blood Center. It’s an experience that Sean McIntyre has become intimately familiar with as he’s given 254 blood product donations to UI Health Care patients.
“My first donation at DeGowin was actually 20 years ago on June 3rd, 2004,” he says. “I got involved as a way to give back and because there’s such a need for blood at the hospitals.”
McIntyre’s donor anniversary serendipitously falls just before the 20th anniversary of the World Health Organization’s World Blood Donor Day. Experts estimate 1 in 7 patients entering the hospital will need blood and less than 3% of eligible U.S. donors donate blood every year. All donations at DeGowin Blood Center are used to treat patients with UI Health Care.
Vital Platlets Donations
As a DeGowin regular, McIntyre comes to donate about every two weeks, aiming for 20 to 24 donations each year. The 56-year-old realtor believes communities thrive because of those who want to help others.
“There's so many needs out there, and if you have the ability, be it money, time or skill, I think everybody should find some way to give back,” McIntyre says.
McIntyre donates platelets which are some of the most vital, in-demand blood products and unfortunately, they have a relatively short shelf-life of about a week.
"Platelet transfusions are crucial for patients in multiple life-threatening situations, including those battling cancer, dealing with chronic diseases, or who have sustained traumatic injuries,” says pathologist Meredith Parsons, MD. “There’s a constant, critical need for platelets. We’re incredibly grateful for those donors who give a little extra time for platelet donations.” The entire process to donate platelets takes between one and a half to two and a half hours. While the process takes a bit longer than a whole blood donation, McIntyre doesn’t mind.
“I can work during that time, I can watch a movie, or I can catch up on the news while I'm sitting there doing the donation,” he says. “The staff here has always been phenomenal. A few of them were there at my first donation and they're still here now.”
While he still sees some familiar faces today, the technology and donation process has changed over the years.
“When I first started, donation for platelets was a two-arm machine that took a little bit longer, and now it's just a one-arm machine, so you're free to use your other hand to, like I said, work or watch TV or whatever,” he says.
McIntyre realizes how much good his donation does, allowing for providers at UI Health Care to have a stable blood supply for patients. Through his decades of donating and the years to come, McIntyre’s dedication to donating is unwavering.
“I'm looking forward to the next 20 years of donating,” he says. “I’m eager to keep going, keeping my streak going.”
How to become a blood donor
Making a donation of whole blood is easy: Make an appointment, show up, pass a mini-physical and health screening, donate and then enjoy post donation snacks. Whole blood donations typically take between 45 minutes to an hour. Donors may also choose to donate platelets instead of whole blood. That donation process takes about two hours. Donors are encouraged to schedule an appointment in advance but walk-in donations will be accepted as staffing allows for both whole blood and platelet donations.
Donors need to be 17 years of age or older or 16 with a signed parent/guardian consent form. Donors must weigh at least 110 pounds and be free of cold or flu symptoms for five days leading up to their donation. Donors need to bring a photo ID, a list of medications they take and places and dates they have traveled outside the U.S. within the last 3 years.
The DeGowin Blood Center is open Monday through Friday, with variable hours between 7 am and 7:30 pm, for donations, and donors get free parking during their visit. The blood center also hosts a variety of blood drives throughout the community. Donors should note that platelets can only be donated at the DeGowin Blood Center at UI Health Care Medical Center on the university campus.
