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Who You Help
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Heather McNamara Heather McNamara was diagnosed with an abnormal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in 2005—a condition that cut off circulation to her major organs. At only 7 years old, she became the first child in the world to undergo multi-organ transplant surgery. During her 23-hour operation, blood transfusions were required to maintain her blood and platelet count, and she needed an additional eight pints of blood. Some 175 community members, teachers, and personnel attended a blood drive held in Heather’s honor. Thanks to generous donors like you, patients like Heather receive the precious gift of life every day. |
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Anthony Dones Just four months old, Anthony Dones was diagnosed with osteopetrosis, a rare, life-threatening genetic bone disorder. A bone marrow transplant could cure the disease, but no marrow donor could be found for Anthony. So the Dones' turned to another option--cord blood, which is frozen and rapidly available. The Dones' actually had privately stored Anthony's cord blood, but since the cells had the gene for ostepetrosis, it could not be used for him. Within  a week of getting a search request, NYBC's National Cord Blood Program found a matched cord blood unit for Anthony. Now two years old, Anthony is an active and happy child. While the cord blood donor remains anonymous, the Dones' express gratitude to the mother who made this possible. "Whoever she is, we thank her for saving the life of our son." |
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Joanne Nuzzo When Joanne Nuzzo gave birth to a baby girl, hemorrhaging could have transformed this joyous event to tragedy. Joanne's rare blood type, combined with a low supply at the hospital, created a dire situation. But these are the kinds of situations where NYBC Blood Services has earned its outstanding reputation. NYBC satisfied the emergency need, and today Joanne is fine, a grateful mother... and playing a major role in Staten Island blood drives. |
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Kayla Spears Diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare disease where bone marrow quits producing cells. 15-year-old Kayla was treated with medicine and blood transfusions for years. But this quit working. She needed a bone marrow transplant, and NYBC was able to match her up with Pat Donahue, a Long Island resident who donated bone marrow blood. The transplant cured Kayla who recently received a good report in her two-year medical follow-up, and she's now back in school full time. These are the success stories NYBC lives for. |
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Ron Terwilliger In 1995 at age 39, Ron, a volunteer ski patrolman, was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. His body was simply unable to produce platelets, white cells or red cells. He needed weekly transfusions, which became a way of life for close to two years. In 1997, he had a successful bone marrow transplant -- yet another gift of life -- from a donor located by New York Blood Center. |
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D'Angelo Coleman-Boyd D'Angelo has sickle cell disease, an inherited red blood cell disease that can cause severe pain, organ damage and even death if left untreated. In his short lifetime, he has already received over 80 transfusions and will need many more. |
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Rich Ramirez Being diagnosed with colon cancer in 1995 was no laughing matter for stand-up comedian Rich Ramirez. He ultimately needed a liver transplant. But five pints of blood from anonymous donors also helped save his life. |
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Lauren Ward Larsen Following an emergency c-section, Lauren lapsed into a coma, went into liver and kidney failure, had a grand mal seizure and worse. Blood from over 200 strangers helped save her life. |
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Samantha Mills A routine blood test diagnosed leukemia for Samantha when she was just a toddler. The next two years were all about chemotherapy, blood work, hospitalizations, tests and transfusions. Her parents call the gift of blood a miracle that helped keep their little girl alive. |
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Sarit Cahana Sarit, a triplet, was diagnosed with cancer at 18 months. Surgeries, rounds of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant followed--with regular transfusions along the way. After each blood transfusion, her parents say they literally saw her come back to life. |
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Mark Randall Samuel
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