Appeal For Rare Blood Type

[hausdok]

Hi All,

I saw this posted to a competing message board this morning and thought I'd re-post it here. Sounds like this kid needs all the help he can get. OT - OF!!!

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If you can help, contact me and I will provide the personal details

and direct contact information

Subject: Asking for your help

Everyone,

I apologize for using email for something like this but hopefully you'll understand.

My friend's 1 and a half year old son, Kieran, was diagnosed this week with a very aggressive form of leukemia called APML leukemia. He will be in CHOP for at least a month and then if his biopsy is OK, he'll be able to go home for outpatient treatments for 2 years. They expect him to be admitted to the hospital over the next 2 years because you can't keep a 1.5 year old with two other brothers from getting a cold/infection.

His platelets are an issue. Right now he has next to none and his blood type is the most rare in the US - AB negative.

CHOP has AB- blood but apparently blood is "tagged" for specific individuals, so it has been hard for CHOP to procure this rare blood type for Kieran. It isn't that CHOP/Phila has "zero" AB negative blood but rather none that Kieran was allowed to access this week (until a bit last night) because it was "tagged" for other people.

It is the rarest blood type in the US so obviously others are looking for it. We are being told conflicting stories about how to get blood "tagged" for any particular patient.

If you have or know of someone who has AB negative blood who would be willing to donate for Kieran, it would be appreciated beyond what words could convey.

Thanks.

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Joseph P. Hagarty

joseph.hagarty@comcast.net

Main Line Inspections, Inc.

Phone: 610-399-3675

Email: MainLineHI@comcast.net

http://pa.nachi.org/mainlinepa/about.html

http://www.householdinspector.com

National President / NACHI (2003-2004)

NACHI Education Committee Member

[Jim Katen]

If a person doesn't know his own blood type, what's the fastest & easiest way to find out?

If a person had the correct blood type, how would he go about getting his blood to Kieran?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[kurt]

Be a blood donor; they'll do a complete workup for free.

I'm AB positive.

[Joseph Hagarty]

My understanding

is that anyone can go to a Red Cross Center

and donate specifically for someone in need.

I am type O and donate platelets

weekly

I am checking to see if I am compatible as well.

If someone is interested or can help

email me

and I will provide the Individual's (Father) contact information to you.

[Scottpat]

I'm "B-" and on the call list.

I have started to give platelets, it seems like they want that more than whole blood for some reason.

[Marc]

I'm "B-" and on the call list.

I have started to give platelets, it seems like they want that more than whole blood for some reason.

I've donated platelets for 5 yrs now. It takes 6 units of whole blood to make one unit of platelets. Sometime they have to 'cannibalize' 6 units to do that when platelet supplies run low. Also, platelets can be donated by a single individual up to 25 times per year as opposed to one whole blood donation per 8 weeks.

I had to quit donating platelets a year ago when scar tissue built up too much. I've recently begun getting back to it. What I don't understand about the OP is that I was told that any blood type can received platelets from any other blood type. It's universal.

Marc

[Joseph Hagarty]

I give platelets as well

Takes 1.5 hours to do

but can do weekly.. (every 7 days)

Nice that they have a nice movie selection

lol