Team Kirtland members take giving blood personally

  • Published
  • By Sheila Rupp
  • Nucleus journalist
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Chief Master Sgt. Marie Potts has seen a lot of blood hung on IV stands working as a medic during her Air Force career. She says that on a technical level saving lives is very near and dear to her, so on a personal level, donating blood is very important to her because it "truly is the gift of life -- and it's free."

Peter Quichocho says he doesn't like to get poked and prodded but donates blood because it is one of the many gifts of life we can give to servicemembers that are in harm's way. Both Chief Potts and Mr. Quichocho say they give blood on a regular basis to help servicemembers.

Chief Potts has been donating on a regular basis for the last five years and says she has already donated several gallons of blood. She is scheduled to give blood every eight weeks unless she is ill or on a temporary duty assignment.

"It's the least I can do for my fellow brethren in arms. I have not had the opportunity to deploy and it's something that I've always wanted to do, so donating blood makes me feel like I'm doing my part here at home," she said.

Chief Potts said that blood donations are important because although there are advancements in medicine such as volume expanders and IV fluids, blood and blood products are the only fluids that carry oxygen, which makes it vital for trauma patients to receive. She also said that because blood is separated, more than one person can benefit from your donation.

"It's my responsibility as an American. It's not just that person who needs the blood, it goes beyond that. That marine, that airman, that soldier, has a mom, a dad, a wife, a husband, a sister, a brother or a child ... it affects many people," she said.

Chief Potts recalls working in the emergency room during her first nine years in the Air Force. "There was a little 5-year-old boy named Michael that was a hemophiliac coming into the ER every few months to get blood. Every time he got a scrape or cut he had to come in to get Factor IX, which we always kept in the fridge for Michael. He was a brave little boy, and it shows how many people can benefit from donations. Your donation could be helping a Michael, an Airman Potts, or a Corporal Potts."

Factor IX is a medication that contains a blood protein that is lacking for hemophiliacs and is one of the many products made from whole blood donations. Aside from the whole blood used to treat trauma patients, red blood cells can be used to treat transplant patients and those with anemia, platelets can be used to help cancer patients and plasma donations can help burn victims and those with blood clotting disorders.

Mr. Quichocho's blood donation history began in 1989 when he was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He said he heard a radio announcement looking for type AB-positive blood and plasma for an 11-year-old girl. The girl's family was attempting to find donors because the girl was in need of a bone marrow transplant for her cancer treatments. Mr. Quichocho said six months after donating plasma at the drive he received a card from the girl's parents that thanked him for helping to save her life, and 17 years later he's still donating.

Mr. Quichocho said that people should not be afraid of donating blood because it's a relatively easy procedure and that it only takes about a half hour for the entire process. "It's something little I can do to help that makes a big difference over there," Mr. Quichocho said.

Mr. Quichocho is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and says he gives to the Armed Services Blood Program because he's seen "that side of the world and knows what it's like."

"With the war going on in Iraq, I definitely give. I probably don't give as much as I should, but I make a point to do it," he said.

Donors can give every eight weeks as long as they meet all the other requirements. Donors must be 110 pounds, not have had any tattoos or piercings within the last year and not be pregnant. There are also guidelines for immunizations and overseas travel that can be seen at http://www.militaryblood.dod.mil/donor_info/deferral.htm.

Currently, the Armed Forces Blood Program reports that there is a 50 percent deferment rate for military members because of overseas deployments and duty stations. Mr. Quichocho said he thinks it is very important for the civilian community here to donate because of those military members that may be deferred. "Despite your feelings about the war, these are our men and women protecting our freedom and we should help them," Mr. Quichocho said.

Mr. Quichocho works for Chugach Management Services, Joint Venture, and worked in Albuquerque as a Navy recruiter from 1995-98. He was later stationed in Guam, where he retired before moving to Rio Rancho.

William Beaumont Army Medical Center is sponsoring an ASBP blood drive at the Rio Grande Conference Center Nov. 14 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Nov. 15 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.