 |  |  |  |  |  |
   | ||
|
Job Bank UCMC News Calendar Hospital Staff Administration Volunteers History Contact Us Qualifications and Awards Financial Arrangements Patient Rights and Responsibilities Advance Directives Visiting Hours Admissions and Discharge Gift Shop and Cafeteria
|  |
Blood Drive to Help Man with Rare Blood Disease
Prepared by: Steve Wong Upstate Carolina Medical Center Marketing Phone 864-487-1515 When a person’s body destroys blood cells faster than it can replace them, you know there is a need. Such is the case with James "Abie" Fowler, a Cherokee County resident with hemolytic anemia. He is currently struggling with this disease that put him in a hospital’s intensive care unit for eight days and required 20 units of blood. To help Fowler, Gaffney Medical Associates (GMA) is sponsoring a community blood drive on Tuesday, May 29. It will be held 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the back parking lot at Upstate Carolina Medical Center. "This has been the most trying experience of our lives," said Kelly Harris, Fowler’s daughter, who is an employee at GMA. "It happened so suddenly, and we still don’t know why. Just all of sudden, we almost lost him. One day he was fine, the next day he was in the hospital coding (his heart had stopped). We are just so grateful to the community for standing by us and helping. If you can give blood, now is the time to do it—the need is so very real." Fowler first noticed a problem in late April, when he initially went to Upstate Carolina Medical Center. Almost immediately, he was transferred to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, where he could be treated by a hematologist (blood specialist). There he coded, and during an eight-day stay he required 20 units of blood—blood that his body destroyed nearly as quickly as it was pumped into him. More help was found at Duke Medical Center, where specialists were available to treat hemolytic anemia. At this time, Fowler is doing better by taking research medications and chemotherapy. He has now returned home and is continuing outpatient therapy. "We are looking at some trying times ahead,"his daughter said. Daddy will need to continue chemo and getting blood as needed. We’ll be traveling between Gaffney and Duke a lot, I’m sure." He can now walk with a walker and is starting to feed himself. He knows who we are. It is a miracle that he has made such a huge turnaround and it would not have been possible without the blood transfusions and research medications provided to him. And he will most likely need even more blood. Anything you can do to help replace the blood that was given or will be needed will be greatly appreciated by both my daddy and my family. To donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old, weigh 110 pounds, and be in generally good health. To schedule an appointment to donate blood, please call 487-7655.
|
