Volunteer Spotlight: Biomedical Transportation Specialists

By: Nicole Roschella

After generous donors give blood or platelets to the American Red Cross, there are a few more steps before a patient can receive that lifesaving gift. Right now, the Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region is looking for volunteers to safely transport blood from collection sites to the lab for processing and to deliver blood products to hospitals.

Mark Seitz is a retired pharmaceutical representative who lives in Johnstown. In the summer, you can find him on the golf course. But in the winter, he spends his extra time volunteering with the Red Cross as a Biomedical Transportation Specialist, delivering blood to hospitals in Altoona, Indiana and Morgantown.

“It gets me out of bed and gives me somewhere to go,” Seitz said. “People need blood all the time. I hear stories of different patients who go through dozens of pints of blood. It feels good to be able to help with that.”

Seitz enjoys driving by himself and appreciates the flexibility of the job. Right now, he is driving about three routes each week.

“You go online and sign up for whatever route you want, and it usually shows you what time you’re going to be done,” Seitz said. For example, the Altoona route includes stops at four hospitals. It normally starts at 10 a.m. and Seitz is back in Johnstown around 2 p.m.

“I’m in and out of the hospital’s blood center in less than five or 10 minutes and I’m off to my next stop,” Seitz said. “Everything is so pre-planned and pre-organized.”

Elizabeth Altman and her husband Charles live in Pittsburgh and work as a team of Biomedical Transport Specialists. They sign up for at least two shifts a month.

“We’ve gone as far west as State College, as far east as Huntingdon, New Castle to the north and Uniontown to the south,” Altman said. “It gives us a chance to get out of the house and to see countryside we would never see otherwise. It’s like a little day trip with a purpose. We often find these interesting restaurants to eat dinner at along the way!”

Altman said she used to donate blood regularly, but as she aged, this volunteer opportunity better suited her.

“I’m actually kind of a loner so that’s part of the reason I like this job. I’m not dealing with a whole lot of people,” Altman said. “I’m not big on group activities so this is a great job for me.”

If you're interested in joining the Red Cross as a volunteer and bringing help and hope to people in need, visit redcross.org/volunteer.

Nurse Highlights Need for Blood Donations, Encourages Minority Donors to Give

By: Nicole Roschella

As a member of a hospital transplant team in Central Pennsylvania, Tiffany Conroy knows how crucial blood donations are to patients.

“With my experience working as an emergency room technician and working as a nurse, it’s very important. It’s needed in emergency situations,” Conroy said. 

She admitted she has not donated as often as she could, especially because she has type O blood. 

“I was much better before having kids!” Conroy said.  

There is a constant need for all blood types, but the demand is often higher for types O and B blood. Type O positive blood is the most transfused blood type. Type O negative is the universal blood type and can be transfused to patients of any other blood type. African American and Latino populations have a higher frequency of type O blood than other ethnicities. 

Conroy, who is Puerto Rican, said she began donating blood when she turned 18 and has donated about 10 times since then. Now, she is making it her goal to increase that number and encourage other Latinos to give the gift of life. Conroy believes fear may be a driving force behind a lack of blood donations.

“People are so afraid of pain. It doesn’t hurt! And after donating blood, you’re not going to be ill. You get some snacks and hydrate,” Conroy said. “Our bodies are constantly remaking blood cells. It doesn’t impact you in any way. Our community doesn’t always see or hear that maybe.” 

Conroy said she marked off days on her calendar as a reminder to give blood.

"The pandemic has made me more self-aware about helping others," Conroy said. "I want to be better about doing it more frequently."

0. Did you know: You can donate whole blood as often as every 56 days up to 6 times a year! Make an appointment to give blood or platelets by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

‘This is a Way I Can Give Back’: Mother Thanks Community for Help During Husband’s Medical Battle by Donating Blood

By: Nicole Roschella

Nicole Ball’s world changed in October 2021 when her husband was diagnosed with heart failure.

“He was not feeling right. We took him to the emergency room and a day later, we have a diagnosis of heart failure,” Ball said. “It took my feet out from under me. You hear ‘heart failure’ and you automatically think the worse.” 

Her husband Cliff had been the sole provider for their family of 7 for the past 12 years, running a snow removal business in the Harrisburg area. That all changed with his diagnosis, which hospitalized him multiple times. 

"When we were in the hospital with him, a social worker came into the room and told us he’s not covered by insurance at all... for anything,” Ball said, “so now we have tens of thousands of dollars in hospital bills on top of him not being able to work.”

Thankfully, Ball’s family, friends and entire community have stepped up to help. 

“I get a little emotional about it because I never realized how many people were there for us. Some of them don’t even know us,” Ball said. 

A friend set up a GoFundMe for Cliff's medical bills and people generously delivered holiday meals and other gifts to the Ball family’s home. 

“Our kids’ entire Christmas... we didn’t pay a penny. And they had one of the best Christmases they’ve had in a while,” Ball said. 

Ball felt the need to repay the people who cared for her family, but she did not have the financial means to do so. 

“I was struggling with the fact that so many people were giving to us, and I couldn’t give anything,” Ball said. 

Soon after, she saw a Facebook post about a local Red Cross blood drive. 

“I thought, you know what, I need to do this,” Ball said. “This is a way I can give back, and it’s literally costing me nothing to do it. I laid on a table for five minutes and I can help save more than one life. When you think about it in terms of saving someone, that’s where it gets me.” 

Meanwhile, doctors still cannot figure out why her husband’s heart is failing. 

“Cliff hasn’t been hospitalized since mid-November, but the medicines that doctors are trying aren’t working. The next step is a heart transplant if we can’t get these meds to work,” Ball said. 

Now, she is ready to schedule her next blood donation, just 8 weeks after her last appointment. 

“February 24th is the day I’m able to donate again,” Ball said. “I’m already making plans!” 

0. Make an appointment to give blood or platelets by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).