On Jan. 12th, I began my internship at Miller-Keystone Blood Center in Bethlehem. While it was required in part by my major, I’ve had a connection with this organization since February of 2012.
My older brother, Jared, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow that produces excess immature white blood cells (lymphoblasts), crowding out healthy cells. It was a stressful time for our entire family, and eventually led to us moving to the Lehigh Valley for more accessible treatment, helped in part by MKBC through a series of blood transfusions and chemotherapy. He’s been in remission for several years now, and this internship feels like my own way to give back to those who helped my family along the way.
Miller-Keystone is a non-profit organization that works to serve and supply the population with blood. They serve as the sole blood provider for 29 hospitals in eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey. On a yearly basis, they distribute 100,000 blood bags to hospitals and others in need of transfusions. My role as an intern is to assist in creating writing advertisements and publications for the center/I’ve already produced a piece on a frequent donor to the center, helped in giving a tour to a reporter from WFMZ, and written a solicitation letter for the sake of requesting financial assistance to MKBC.
The center’s work is rooted in community outreach. People from all walks of life either need blood or come to any of the eleven locations spread around Pennsylvania and New Jersey to donate their own. One woman donates to the center on a regular basis, once the allotted time between Power Red donations (10 weeks) passes.
“We encourage all eligible blood donors to find a family member or a friend who has never donated blood with Miller-Keystone, and schedule your lifesaving donations today, Outreach Manager Krista Hill said.
“What better way to start the New Year than by saving lives together?”
It’s not without incentive, either. Apart from the satisfaction of helping people, MKBC offers a series of different benefits for donors depending on where they participate in a blood drive. Contributing to one at the Easton Center, for example, will net you free tickets to the State Theatre in Easton, while donating at the location in Cedar Crest gets you a coupon for free food at a local restaurant.
Currently, Miller-Keystone is in the middle of an event called “Blood-Donor Madness.” From January 12 to April 3, colleges throughout the wider Lehigh Valley area are competing to see which school can collect the most blood donations from students, faculty and staff. Donors can win E-Gift Cards by coming in to donate on behalf of Moravian; they’ll also receive a $25 Card if they bring a friend. The winning school gets a $10,000 scholarship fund award. For students without transportation to one of the MKBC donor sites, free rides can be scheduled by the center by calling 610-691-5850 and selecting option 2. Additionally, there’s a blood drive occurring on Feb. 26, located at the Bahnson Center.
Overall, my internship at Miller-Keystone Blood Center has shown me how much impact one donation can have. What once helped my family in a time of need is now an organization I’m proud to support through my work. By sharing stories and encouraging community involvement, Miller-Keystone continues to give hope to patients and families across the region.
