Joelle and Brad Hagan understand the importance of paying it forward. On Friday, they will celebrate their son Dean’s first birthday with a community blood drive to raise awareness for blood and platelet donation as well as HELLP Syndrome.
A little over a year ago, at 37 weeks pregnant, Joelle woke with excruciating abdominal pain. Her husband rushed her to Owensboro Health, where her symptoms worsened and the baby was in distress. Her health provider determined she needed an emergency cesarean section (C-section) due to a diagnosis of HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets) syndrome, a life-threatening complication.
Because she became critical rapidly, Joelle received infusions of multiple blood products. She received five platelet pheresis transfusions, which is the equivalent of 50 random donor platelets.
When a person donates plateletpheresis, it is the patient’s best chance to survive because 10-30 times the volume of platelets can come from a single donor, according to Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center CEO Janet Howard.
Once Joelle was stabilized, she was transferred to the University of Louisville for further care and stabilization and Dean was flown to Norton’s in Louisville where he spent 12 days in the NICU.
“This blood drive is important to us because we were directly impacted by the emergent need for blood,” Joelle said. “We have been told that I likely would not have survived if we were in a more remote location that could not supply me with the blood products that I needed. We are truly so fortunate to have the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center that supplies our surrounding area.”
Joelle said when she considers the strangers who had donated the blood to save her, she feels gratitude.
“I can watch my baby grow with my husband, and it is something I will never take for granted,” she said.
The family feels it is important to spread awareness regarding the urgent need for blood donors and show gratitude to those who donate.
“It is difficult to understand the importance of blood donation until you are directly impacted by it,” she said. “You never know when or if you will be the one needing blood.”
While Joelle said that donations can be very anxiety-provoking and many avoid it due to feeling unsettled about the process, she has a different mindset regarding blood donation now and feels that it isn’t about her.
“It’s about that person who is in need, such as another new mother who needs a transfusion to survive and raise her babies,” she said. “We have to donate now and be proactive because you truly never know if or when you or a loved one will be the one on the receiving end.”
As Joelle was fighting for her life, her family — including her sister Katie Scott, who oversees compliance at Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center — rallied the community to donate blood as a show of support.
WKRBC Director of Communications, Development, and Recruitment Vicki Ellis said that anyone can be a hero by donating blood.
“WKRBC strives daily to deliver a stable blood supply and a steady flow of volunteer blood donors is important; however, platelet donors are one of our greatest needs at this time,” she said.
Joelle’s mother Linda Boarman is a nurse practitioner and is familiar with what Joelle experienced.
“As a mother you hold out hope for your child, and as a clinician you understand all too well the reality and severity of the situation,” Boarman said.
Friday’s blood drive is at Linda Boarman’s office, 6071 KY 54, but donors are also welcome at the WKRBC. The blood center is located at 3015 Old Hartford Road and is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Tuesday form 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Platelet donors need to schedule an appointment because there are extra steps to it, including a sample check to determine platelet levels. Platelet donations also take longer as they involve cycling the blood.
“This drive is a celebration of life and gratitude,” Joelle said. “We hope to educate and inspire new donors to begin donating. Our event is one day but I encourage everyone to donate any other time if they can.”
