Category: Blood

Kacie Hutton (left) and Jill Matlock, both prevention specialists with the Wyoming Department of Health’s Chronic Disease Prevention Program, look over educational materials that are part of blood pressure kits available at the Natrona County Library. The kits are offered through a collaborative pilot project involving the Wyoming Center on Aging at the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Health’s Chronic Disease Prevention Program and each library system in all 23 Wyoming counties. (Kyle Spradley Photo) Self-measured blood pressure monitoring kits are now available for checkout at libraries across the state. The kits are offered through a collaborative pilot project involving the Wyoming Center on Aging (WyCOA) at the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Health’s Chronic Disease Prevention Program and each library system in all 23 Wyoming counties. In all, 252 blood pressure monitoring kits are available at 67 libraries. The project started out small with what was supposed to be a four-county pilot project in Albany, Converse, Park and Sweetwater counties. But, after WyCOA staff attended the Wyoming Library Association Conference in Casper in October 2022, the project quickly grew. “We were able to demonstrate the kits to the library professionals, and they were so excited. They all asked when their library was next in line for kits,” says Kara Beech, a regional coordinator with WyCOA. “It was exciting to see how the libraries want to not only provide books but be an information and resources hub for their community,” adds Kevin Franke, a regional coordinator with WyCOA. “They were a great group of individuals to work with on this project.” The kits, available in both English and Spanish, include an automated home blood pressure cuff; blood pressure logbooks; educational materials from the American Heart Association; information on what blood pressure is; and ideas for healthy lifestyle changes. The kits also include a resource directory to local community-based organizations and referral resources to the Healthy U chronic disease self-management program and Cent$ible Nutrition Program. The loan period is two or three weeks, depending on the library. Blood pressure kits can be renewed, up to two times, if there are no holds on the item. Nearly half of adults in the United States — 47 percent, or 116 million — have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, or are taking medication for hypertension, and 24 percent with hypertension have their condition under control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Wyoming, 30.7 percent of adults have been told that they have high blood pressure, according to the Wyoming Department of Health’s Chronic Disease Prevention Program. While self-measured blood pressure is not a substitute for regular visits to primary care physicians, it is a way for individuals to see and track their numbers, giving them more information that can be communicated to their doctors. “Information is power and, the more information a patient and their doctor have, the better the treatment plan,” Beech says. “Better treatment plans lead to better overall health. That’s the goal of this project — to work to improve the health of our communities.” Libraries around the state are committed to building and supporting strong, healthy communities. This project provided a unique opportunity to offer communities more information about self-monitored blood pressure and its important role in health. “We’re excited to partner with the Wyoming Department of Health and WyCOA to bring these much-needed resources to the community,” says Lisa Scroggins, executive director of the Natrona County Library. To watch a video about this program, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmm4Y4x_JDc. To learn more about WyCOA and its programs, go to www.uwyo.edu/wycoa/.

As she removed the needle from the crook of my arm, the nurse overseeing my very first blood donation said, “I hope you had a good experience, because 95% of first-time donors never give blood a second time.” I can’t verify that statistic (National Library of Medicine data appears to refute it), but she’s certainly right that most people don’t tend to incorporate blood drives into their regular routine. I do, though. I give as often as the Red Cross allows, and not because I’m some angel of mercy or even all that charitable. For me, a big part of it comes down to—what else?—the snacks. How To Dispose Of Cooking Grease The Easy Way After Frying Off English The American Red Cross, founded in 1881, has been collecting civilians’ blood a pint at a time since 1948, and donation centers hum along like a well-oiled machine. Although the human body is surprisingly good at losing roughly 10% of its blood supply within minutes, a post-donation pick-me-up helps stabilize one’s blood sugar levels and provides the necessary energy boost for your body to replace its lost blood volume (a process that takes 24-48 hours). But the snack table carries other less obvious benefits, too. Advertisement Why you always get a snack at blood drives “Having a seat, munching on a small snack and drinking water helps donors recuperate under the care of staff trained to identify and respond to adverse reactions,” Red Cross spokesperson Danny Parra told The Takeout via email. If you waltz right out the door after donating, you leave behind any medical professionals who know what to do if you faint, suffer a dizzy spell, or feel nauseous after giving blood. Staying parked in a chair and working your way through a bag of Welch’s Fruit Snacks while you check emails keeps you monitored by the pros just a little longer. Advertisement Advertisement Parra also suggests that the snack table functions as a gathering place for donors to socialize. While I don’t often chat up my fellow blood-givers, it’s true that this self-selected group of folks who took time out of their workday to get a needle stuck in their arm tends to be a pleasant bunch, flush with the satisfaction of having helped someone in need. Plus, emphasizing the social element can often encourage groups of people to snag donation time slots together, thereby increasing the amount of donations per blood drive. Finally, it’s a perk, plain and simple. “Providing tasty snacks and refreshing drinks is one of the ways we care for and show our gratitude to the 6.8 million Americans who donate blood each year,” Parra said. On my college campus, blood donations always came with the promise of two slices of pizza per donor. Do you think anyone with the proper iron levels turned that down? The Red Cross blood donation snack options The pizza, I eventually found out, is not a standard offering. The Red Cross arrives with its own supply of prepackaged treats in tow, and the organization hosting the drive can layer on any other perks they want (such as Papa Johns). Because it’s provided by the Red Cross itself, the post-donation snack table always seems to have the same array of options. They might vary by region, but here’s what’s always on offer at my Midwest-area blood drives: Bottled water Sun-Maid Raisins Welch’s Fruit Snacks Cheez-It Whole Grain Chips Ahoy! Snyders of Hanover Mini Pretzels Cooper Street Twice Baked Cookies (Brownie Chocolate & Blueberry Lemon flavor) Cooper Street Granola Bakes (Oatmeal Cranberry & Blueberry Pomegranate flavor) OREO Minis Nutter Butter cookies Quite an assortment, right? There’s always lots to choose from; I go for the Cooper Street products because they’re the only snacks that feel “exotic” (aka aren’t available at every single major grocery store nationwide). I asked Parra how the Red Cross decides what to stock—beyond the bottled water, of course. Advertisement “The Red Cross strives to provide snacks that accommodate all dietary needs, including those with celiac sensitivity, by offering raisins, trail mix, and fruit snacks as gluten free options,” Parra said. Similarly, the Cooper Street snacks are nut free and dairy free, and both the pretzels and Cheez-Its contain no sugar. Advertisement What to eat before and after blood donation However, both preparing for and recuperating from a blood donation takes more than just the snacks provided by the Red Cross. There’s a lot of guidance on what to do before, during, and after donation to ensure a seamless recovery, and much of it revolves around what to eat. Here are the broad strokes: Drink the right fluids. Avoid alcoholic drinks before your appointment, and if you can make it through the day without your morning coffee, it’s best to skip that as well. These beverages can affect your heart rate, as well as displace water in your system. Meanwhile, you should be taking in an extra glass or two of water beyond what you’d normally consume; this will make your veins easier to find, sparing you any extra prods and pokes of the needle. Eat a full meal. Eating iron-rich foods is preferred before a blood donation because it assists the production of hemoglobin, which delivers oxygen to your body tissue. But even if you don’t have dark leafy greens and lamb chops lying around the house, there are a surprising number of foods recommended by the Red Cross that you’re bound to have on hand. Do it all again. Just as you prepped for your blood donation with plenty of food and excess hydration, you’ll need to repeat that regimen in the 24 hours following your donation, too. During this timeframe, at least, don’t try to make your body run on your typical weekday intake of Diet Coke and pretzel rods, okay? Advertisement If you’ve never donated blood, the thought of following all this guidance might be understandably daunting. But if the prospect of ducking out of work for an hour, lying on

IAN HERBERT: Blood seeping through their socks, England ran the show and silenced the partisan Australia crowd… now the Lionesses stand on the brink of World Cup glory England reached the World Cup final with a 3-1 win over hosts Australia The Lionesses are now on the brink of glory with only Spain standing in their way WATCH: ‘It’s All Kicking Off’ – Episode 1 – Mail Sport’s brand new football show By Ian Herbert For The Daily Mail Published: 13:59 EDT, 16 August 2023 | Updated: 14:05 EDT, 16 August 2023

<div data-thumb="https://scx1.b-cdn.net/csz/news/tmb/2023/blood-factor-can-turn.jpg" data-src="https://scx2.b-cdn.net/gfx/news/hires/2023/blood-factor-can-turn.jpg" data-sub-html="Systemic PF4 enhances adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo. a Experimental design of PF4 injection paradigm in young mice. b, c Intravenous (i.v.) PF4 injections for 1 week did not affect neural precursor cell proliferation in the subgranular zone (SGZ; n = 10 mice in saline group; n = 9 mice in PF4 group; counts of one hemisphere), but increased the number of doublecortin+ (DCX+) cells (n = 15 mice per group; counts of one hemisphere). d Experimental design of the double-labeling paradigm with CldU and IdU. e Acute administration of PF4 did not affect neural precursor cell proliferation, including the recruitment of cells from quiescence (n = 20 mice per group). f Running paradigm of PF4 knockout (KO) mice. g Representative images of Ki67+ cells in the SGZ of PF4 KO and wildtype (WT) mice. Scale bar: 50 μm. h PF4 KO mice show a significant reduction in the number of proliferating cells compared to wildtype mice. Physical exercise did not increase neural precursor proliferation in PF4 KO mice (WT STD n = 12; WT RUN n = 8; KO STD n = 14; KO RUN n = 8; counts of one hemisphere). i Representative images of DCX+ cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) of PF4 KO and wildtype mice. Scale bar: 50 μm. j PF4 KO mice have significantly lower levels of baseline neurogenesis compared to wildtype littermates (WT STD n = 12; KO STD n = 14; counts of one hemisphere). STD standard-housing, RUN 10-day running. Bars are mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis was performed using unpaired Student’s two-tailed t tests in (c) and (j), and one-way ANOVA with Sidak comparison in (h). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. Source data are provided as Source Data file. Credit: Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39873-9″> Systemic PF4 enhances adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo. a Experimental design of PF4 injection paradigm in young mice. b, c Intravenous (i.v.) PF4 injections for 1 week did not affect neural precursor cell proliferation in the subgranular zone (SGZ; n = 10 mice in saline group; n = 9 mice in PF4 group; counts of one hemisphere), but increased the number of doublecortin+ (DCX+) cells (n = 15 mice per group; counts of one hemisphere). d Experimental design of the double-labeling paradigm with CldU and IdU. e Acute administration of PF4 did not affect neural precursor cell proliferation, including the recruitment of cells from quiescence (n = 20 mice per group). f Running paradigm of PF4 knockout (KO) mice. g Representative images of Ki67+ cells in the SGZ of PF4 KO and wildtype (WT) mice. Scale bar: 50 μm. h PF4 KO mice show a significant reduction in the number of proliferating cells compared to wildtype mice. Physical exercise did not increase neural precursor proliferation in PF4 KO mice (WT STD n = 12; WT RUN n = 8; KO STD n = 14; KO RUN n = 8; counts of one hemisphere). i Representative images of DCX+ cells in the dentate gyrus (DG) of PF4 KO and wildtype mice. Scale bar: 50 μm. j PF4 KO mice have significantly lower levels of baseline neurogenesis compared to wildtype littermates (WT STD n = 12; KO STD n = 14; counts of one hemisphere). STD standard-housing, RUN 10-day running. Bars are mean ± SEM. Statistical analysis was performed using unpaired Student’s two-tailed t tests in (c) and (j), and one-way ANOVA with Sidak comparison in (h). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. Source data are provided as Source Data file. Credit: Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39873-9 Platelets are behind the cognitive benefits of young blood, exercise and the longevity hormone klotho. In a remarkable convergence, scientists have discovered that the same blood factor is responsible for the cognitive enhancement that results from young blood transfusion, the longevity hormone klotho, and exercise. In a trio of papers appearing in Nature, Nature Aging and Nature Communications, two UCSF teams and a team from the University of Queensland (Australia), identify platelet factor 4 (PF4) as a common messenger of each of these interventions. As its name suggests, PF4 is made by platelets, a type of blood cell that alerts the immune system when there is a wound and helps to form clots. It turns out that PF4 is also a cognitive enhancer. Under its influence, old mice recover the sharpness of middle age and young mice get smarter. “Young blood, klotho, and exercise can somehow tell your brain, ‘Hey, improve your function,’” said Saul Villeda, Ph.D., associate director of the UCSF Bakar Aging Research Institute and the senior author on the Nature paper. “With PF4, we’re starting to understand the vocabulary behind this rejuvenation.” Villeda led the study on young blood, which was published in Nature. Dena Dubal, MD, Ph.D., UCSF professor and David A. Coulter Endowed Chair in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease, led the study on klotho, which was published in Nature Aging. Tara Walker, Ph.D., professor of neuroscience at the University of Queensland, led the study on exercise, which was published in Nature Communications. They committed to releasing their findings at the same time to make the case for PF4 from three different angles. “When we realized we had independently and serendipitously found the same thing, our jaws dropped,” Dubal said. “The fact that three separate interventions converged on platelet factors truly highlights the validity and reproducibility of this biology. The time has come to pursue platelet factors in brain health and cognitive enhancement.” Platelets quell the inflammation of an aging brain and body Villeda is an expert on parabiosis, an experiment in which two animals are linked together by their blood circulation. When a young, sprightly animal is connected to an aging animal, the aging animal becomes more youthful–its muscles more resilient, its brain more capable of learning. In 2014, Villeda found that plasma, consisting of blood minus red blood cells, mimicked parabiosis: young blood plasma, injected into old animals, was restorative. When his team compared young plasma to old plasma, they found it contained much more PF4. Just injecting PF4 into old animals was about as restorative as young plasma. It calmed down the aged immune system in the body and the brain. Old animals treated with PF4 performed better on a variety of memory and learning tasks. “PF4 actually causes the immune system to

EAST MORICHES, NY — It’s a story of love, pure and simple. A blood drive that Arlexa Karoutsos has organized for Thursday in Center Moriches in memory of her mother Diane Mazarakis, who died in January, is not just about the heartbreaking loss she endured. Instead, it’s about living as her mother would have, a life full of laughter, of joy, of beach days and travel — and of donating blood, so that others can continue to make treasured memories. Mazarakis herself organized a blood drive every year in honor of her own mother Arlette and now, Karoutsos is doing the same thing, to honor the woman who taught her how to live fully and embrace every moment. The New York Blood Center, or NYBC, will be hosting the blood drive on Thursday, August 17 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the East Moriches Fire Department, located at 9 Pine Street. Find out what’s happening in Center Moriches-Eastportwith free, real-time updates from Patch. Mazarakis organized blood drives in honor of her mother from 2018 to 2020, until the onset of the pandemic. Mazarakis was ultimately diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, and fought a battle that spanned two years and required numerous blood transfusions. She became a recipient of the blood donations she had tirelessly advocated for throughout the years prior, NYBC said. Find out what’s happening in Center Moriches-Eastportwith free, real-time updates from Patch. Diane passed away on January 6. She was just 65 years old. Karoutsos, NYBC said, “recognized the importance of continuing her mother’s legacy and the profound impact that blood donors had in extending her mother’s life, allowing for her to have two additional years with her family. Diane’s daughter asks that the community honor her mother’s memory by donating blood and saving a life.” Blood donors can give every 56 days, and platelet donors can give twice per month, NYBC said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently lifted eligibility restrictions for individuals who lived in Europe during certain periods of time, NYBC added. To view current eligibility guidelines, click here or call 800-688-0900. NYBC added that it only takes one hour to donate, and a single donation can save multiple lives. Roughly 1 in 7 hospital admissions require a blood transfusion. Those in need include cancer patients, accident, burn, or trauma victims, newborn babies and their mothers, transplant recipients, surgery patients, chronically transfused patients suffering from sickle cell disease or thalassemia, and many more, NYBC said. Speaking with Patch, Karoutsos described the mother she loved beyond measure: “My mom was the most positive, upbeat, fun-spirited person I know. She spent her summers on the beaches in New York and winters on the beaches of Florida,” she said. Her mother, she said, organized blood drives in honor of her mother to continue her legacy and continue helping people. And then came unthinkable news: “My mom was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in January, 2021 after yearly blood work before going to Florida for the winter. She had the worst kind of leukemia —with the worst genetic mutations.” Despite the grim diagnosis, her mother never lost her sparkle. “Throughout treatment, my mom maintained such a positive outlook,” Karoutsos said. “We always had so many laughs on the way to appointments.” Her mother received the majority of her treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering. After intensive chemo, her mother received a bone marrow transplant, Karoutsos said; her aunt was a 100 percent match and donated stem cells to her mother. “A few months later, the leukemia was back,” she said. Her mother fought tirelessly, with additional treatments in Manhattan, a clinical trial at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and even a visit to the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Karoutsos said. “My mom was determined this leukemia would not win,” she said. And until the day she died, she never stopped living. “We continued to travel on vacations, even against the doctors’ wishes. She lived every day to the fullest. She hoped to change the path for the patients behind her. We would always push the boundaries during treatment — if it was sneaking to Puerto Rico for the weekend or to a Jimmy Buffett concert. . . We didn’t let the leukemia win.” Courtesy Arlexa Karoutsos Throughout the months that her mother fought the leukemia, blood donations were critical, Karoutsos said. “Due to the leukemia taking over, my mom had very, very low white blood cells, platelets, and red blood cells. Toward the end of treatment, she was receiving blood twice a week. Without the generous donations, my mom wouldn’t have had an extra two years of living.” Still, the pain of losing her mother is palpable. “The hardest part of her leukemia journey was watching her be a patient. I wished and prayed more than anything to make her better, so we could continue living,” Karoutsos said. The heartache of memories never made echoes. “I found out in early September that my husband and I were expecting our first child. My mom passed away when I was 4 months pregnant,” Karoutsos said. “We are so grateful that she was there for our gender reveal, and to hear the baby’s heartbeat for the first time. Our baby girl is named Charlette Diana. Named after my grandmother Arlette and mom Diane.” Despite the sadness, Karoutsos finds a way to face the future with positivity and grace, led by her mother’s example. “We find the strength to go forward every day because that’s exactly what my mom would want. She would want me to put on a smile and be the best version of myself every day,” she said. She added: “If you ask anyone, they will tell you how full of life my mom was. She was always on the go with somewhere fun to be. If it was live music at the beach or a sailing trip in the Bahamas. She always had something going on.” Karoutsos organized the blood drive for this week;

COURIER STAFF LifeServe Blood Center needs both new and regular blood donors to roll up a sleeve this summer. The Cedar Falls Community Blood Drive is scheduled from 12:30 to 6 p.m. Aug. 28 at First United Methodist Church, 718 Clay St. Heart disease is the primary cause of death in men and women in the UK and the US. Yet the indicators of heart problems often go unnoticed, and prolonged waits for tests affect a significant portion of individuals. unbranded – Lifestyle Local lifesaving organizations like LifeServe Blood Center often see dips in blood donations due to blood donors’ busy summer schedules. From outdoor fun to weddings and vacations, people are busy. However, hospital patients are unable to reschedule their need for transfusions. So, this summer, the center is asking donors to spare just one hour and ensure blood is on the shelf when someone needs it. The entire whole blood donation process is typically one hour or less. And 60 minutes of one’s time could positively impact three families. Schedule a blood donation appointment online at lifeservebloodcenter.org or call 800-287-4903. People are also reading… LifeServe Blood Center is a non-profit, community based blood center that has served the needs of local hospitals and patients in our regions since 1947. As one of the 15 largest blood centers in the country, LifeServe provides blood products to 158 hospitals primarily in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. LifeServe is committed to saving lives by providing premier service to volunteer blood donors and access to a safe, quality blood supply for hospitals and patients. Your donation with LifeServe will help save your neighbor, a friend or family member or a stranger on the street. YOU make a difference in YOUR community. 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Colosseum, the new BBC series on the ancient amphitheatre, really should have an exclamation mark after it. It’s just so – exclamationy! A rollicking journey through 300 years of Roman history, via the construction of the enormous monument and the bloody games within, it could not be a more appealing introduction to the subject. Ideally, you will be new not just to the Romans, but also to Ridley Scott’s Gladiator aesthetic of the Roman empire that has dominated since Russell “Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the armies of the north, general of the Felix legions and loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius, father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife” Crowe stepped forward and asked if we were not entertained. Hopefully, too, you will not flinch at, but instead embrace with wide-eyed innocence, actors recreating pivotal tableaux when every penny has gone on CGI recreations of the architecture and not on the scripts. There are many enthusiastic talking heads – mostly from the US, which one suspects is the intended market for this prestigious primer. However, we are fielding Prof Bettany Hughes and Simon Sebag Montefiore on the home team. Stiffen the sinews and take your tablets and you can still enjoy the eight-episode round. We start in AD80 with – but of course! – the gladiators. The eight years of building work are complete and Rome’s new emperor, Titus, who has inherited the throne from his father, Vespasian (inaugurator of the Flavian dynasty), but still counts as an upstart and needs to secure his popular and political position as soon as possible, is about to open the venue for 100 days of sanguinary games. From mortal combat to executions of criminals in brutally innovative ways and animal hunts (venationes, coming to you in detail in episode three), the wobbly second rung of the Flavian dynasty was keen to see you got your lead token’s worth. And so is BBC Four, which follows the template laid down by the Starz network’s series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. If arterial spray is not your thing, please avert your eyes whenever someone starts swinging his gladius. Central to the grand opening of the Colosseum was the fight, recorded by the poet Martial, between the gladiators Verus and Priscus. According to the re-enactment casting, at least, Priscus was a lad who had been swept up in a raid and enslaved during a gap year in Germania. Titus had promised the heaving, volatile crowd an opening fight to the death, but Verus and Priscus were so well matched that each fought to exhaustion and surrendered, leaving the crowd agape and Titus in something of a cleft stick. I hope everyone who has seen the programme enjoys what an excellent, excellent joke I’ve just made. I will give you a moment to marvel at it. Thank you. The second episode concentrates on the building of the Colosseum – a subject that, perhaps more than any other, could have been, and hopefully will be, the focus of a series of its own. The scale of it, with only manual labour available, is mindboggling: 220,000 tonnes of dirt dug out for nine-metre-deep foundations; 99,000 cubic metres of travertine stone removed and transported from nine miles away; 300 tonnes of iron clamps; 1m bricks. All to the glory of Rome (the Flavians, more specifically). In AD81, the tyrannical Domitian became emperor after his brother died – of absolutely and completely natural causes, as emperors with tyrannical brothers waiting in the wings always did, so don’t look at me like that. He immediately ordered the master builder Haterius to build a hypogeum (a network of tunnels) and lifts beneath the amphitheatre to enable warriors, animals and scenery to emerge from the ground and blow the common people’s tiny minds. He gave him 18 months to do it. The year AD81 was the first and last time anyone felt sorry for a builder. Although the episodes feel remarkably effortless, they manage to impart the darnedest amount of information. The series comprises instalments about a female gladiator, a beast master, the martyred bishop Ignatius of Antioch, the gladiators’ doctor Galen (yes, that Galen) and the Colosseum’s final games, as the empire began to decline. By the time you reach the end of it, you will have learned a lot (if young) or remembered a surprising amount of what you had forgotten (if not) about the politics and sociology of the time, the advent of Christianity, the state of ancient medicine and the tentacular reach of Rome, plus its brutalities, its civilities and its influence over just about every field of human endeavour. Maximus Decimus Meridius, I was entertained. And more than a little educated, too.

CLARKSTON, Mich. – A Clarkston family is expressing gratitude for the many people who have rolled up their sleeves this summer to donate blood. Matt and Emily Buchanan’s 4 year-old son Jackson is fighting leukemia. He has needed multiple transfusions of blood and platelets throughout his treatment. The Buchanans want to raise awareness of how much each of those donations is needed and appreciated. “It’s not really on your radar. I mean, for most people, it’s like, ‘OK, we know that there’s blood drives, people benefit from it,’ but until you are directly affected, somehow you really see that tangible effect, and for Jack especially, it’s so literally a lifesaver,” said Matt Buchanan. “People have come up to us and said, ‘You know, I’ve always been too afraid’ or you know, ‘I just didn’t think that I’d be able to, but now that I know that your son benefits from that, I’m gonna go. I’m gonna go for my first time’ and those are the ones that are really cool to hear about the first-time donors,” said Emily Buchanan. Jackson has more treatment ahead, but he has made it through a particularly difficult phase. “He’s gone through it. He’s gone through the thick of it. And he’s come out the other side, just like he was when he started, but better,” said Matt Buchanan. As they work to support Jackson, the Buchanans are grateful for the people lifting them up. “Friends, family, the whole community has been above and beyond when it comes to support,” said Matt Buchanan. “Couldn’t have done it without them.” The family is also grateful to long-time blood drive sponsor Gardner-White. After seeing the rough condition of their old couch, the company gifted them a brand new one. “It’s amazing. We certainly appreciate it and with everything that we’ve gone through, you know, buying a couch wasn’t really in the cards for us for a little bit,” said Emily Buchanan. The Buchanans hope everyone who can will continue to donate blood, for Jackson and so many others who need it. “For something that will take maybe half hour, 45 minutes out of your day, it’s going to help somebody in dire need,” said Matt Buchanan. You can donate blood on Thursday, August 17 at Gardner White stores in Auburn Hills, Canton, Howell, Shelby Township, Warren, and Waterford. —> Gardner-White partners with American Red Cross to host blood drives in Metro Detroit: What to know You can also schedule a blood or platelet donation appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor app, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767), sponsor code: gardnerwhite.

Roll up your sleeve and support your local first responders by giving blood with Our Blood Institute at a local blood drive and you too can help save a life! Our Blood Institute (OBI) will hold the Greenwood Boots and Badges Blood Drive on Tuesday, August 22, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the ROC (Recreation Outreach Center). Successful donors will also receive a limited-edition Boots & Badges T-shirt, and a free ticket to Science Museum Oklahoma, Frontier City or Hurricane Harbor. “Each and every single day Arkansas’s first responders see the need for life-saving blood donations,” said Dr. John Armitage, president and CEO of Our Blood Institute. “We are incredibly thankful for our local first responders who continue to keep us safe, and we owe it to them to do our part in making sure blood is readily available in emergency situations.” Anyone who is healthy and 16 years old* or older can give blood. Blood can be donated every 56 days and platelets can be given as often as every seven days, up to 24 times a year. Appointments to donate can be made online at obi.org or by calling 877-340-8777. *16-year-olds must weigh at least 125 pounds and provide signed parental permission; 17-year-olds must weigh at least 125 pounds; 18+ year-olds must weigh at least 110 pounds. Photo ID required.

Suzanne Somers’ husband of 46 years took matters into his own hands when her blood pressure was higher than he was comfortable with. This past weekend, Somers and Alan Hamel were at their Palm Springs home when they decided to check their blood pressure. “After I took eight or 10 readings on our blood pressure machine and kept seeing terrible results for Suzanne‘s blood pressure, I called 911,” Hamel said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Suzanne Somers’ husband, Alan Hamel, called 911 after monitoring Somers’ blood pressure. (Photo by Patrick McMullan/PMC) “Almost within a couple of minutes of hanging up with the dispatcher who answered the 911 call the firemen were coming through our front door and within a couple of minutes of that happening the ambulance crew arrived,” he continued. ‘THREE’S COMPANY’ STAR SUZANNE SOMERS ON HOW SHE’S STAYING HEALTHY AT 75: ‘YOU HAVE TO BE VIGILANT’ Hamel added, “You hear all these terrible stories about police departments being called and arriving an hour or more later or not at all. As I dialed 911 I prayed that would not be the case with our Palm Springs Fire Department, and it sure wasn’t.” Suzanne Somers and Alan Hamel have been married for 46 years. (Getty Images) Hamel shared what happened following the Palm Springs Fire Department’s quick arrival. “They arrived, they hooked Suzanne up to their monitoring gear and quickly announced she’s just fine. They also asked if there was anything else we could do other than cooking dinner. They had done us an amazing favor for which we will be forever grateful,” Hamel concluded. Suzanne echoed the details of the health scare in a statement to Page Six where she also explained why her blood pressure was so high on the monitor. Suzanne Somers and longtime husband, Alan Hamel, were at their home in Palm Springs when the health scare occurred. (Photo by SGranitz/WireImage) “So what was it? Our blood pressure monitor was faulty,” she told the outlet. “A big kiss and big hugs to our incredible fire department,” Somers said, adding, “Plus, they were all movie star handsome.” CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Suzanne’s recent health scare comes shortly after she revealed her breast cancer has returned. Somers, 76, was diagnosed with cancer twice before: skin cancer in her 30s and breast cancer in her 50s. Suzanne Somers recently revealed that her breast cancer has returned. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images) Somers told Fox News Digital in July, “I have been living with cancer for decades now, using the best of alternative and conventional medicine to keep it at bay. Every time that little f—– pops up, I continue to bat it back. As one of millions of cancer patients, we do our best not to let this insidious disease control us. I find bliss in each day. My husband has been by my side every step of the way, and my family has been so supportive. Thank you for the outpouring of love and good wishes.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “It’s a recurrence of my breast cancer,” she added. “Like any cancer patient, when you get that dreaded, ‘It’s back,’ you get a pit in your stomach. Then I put on my battle gear and go to war. This is familiar battleground for me, and I’m very tough.” Janelle Ash is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital.