lune 13, 2012
®*!* sportiani» (Observer_____________
Page 5
Charles Drew Blood Drive
Woody and His Grieving Mother”
available for purchase at the drive.
On Saturday, June 16, the Ameri site to talk with donors about their
The event takes place at the Red
can Red Cross Portland Donor Cen lifesaving contribution. Sayles’ son Cross Portland Donor Center at 3131
ter will host the fifth anniversary of Woody passed away from leukemia N. Vancouver Ave. and runs from
the Charles Drew Blood Drive. Dr. 10 years ago, but before he died, 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Charles Drew, an African American former NBA star Brian Grant helped
Blood recipients are most likely
blood specialist, surgeon, educator host some of the largest, most suc- to find com patible blood for trans
fusion from donors of the same
ethnic background. This becomes
particularly urgent for illnesses
Author to help with Saturday event
where m ultiple transfusions can same ethnicity.
cause difficult cross-m atching,
The Charles Drew Blood Drive is
such as sickle-cell disease, a blood sponsored by Colas Construction
disorder carried by 1 in 12 African Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha, Urban
Americans.
League of Portland Young Profes
Additionally, of the more than sionals, Coalition of Black Trade
112,560 people currently awaiting Unionists, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega
an organ transplant, 55 percent rep Psi Phi, SEI, Electrical Workers Mi
resent ethnic minorities. Organ re nority Caucus, Zeta Phi Beta, Phi
cipients are also most likely to be Beta Sigma, Delta Sigma Theta and
compatible with donors from the The Links Inc.
"/ am honored to be the first recipient o f this award.”
Portland author Denise Sayles will speak with Red Cross donors
during the Charles Drew Blood Drive on Saturday.
and scientist, was the first medical cessful drives ever experienced by
director of the first American Red the local Red Cross.
Cross blood bank.
Sayles has offered to have her
Local author and blood donation book “LeukemiaTook My Son: The
advocate Denise Sayles will be on Journey of a Brave Teen Named
Whooping Cough Epidemic
Kaiser offers free shots in Vancouver
Kaiser Permanente will open
whooping cough (pertussis) vacci
nation clinics for uninsured and
u n d erin su red p eople in C lark
County to help make sure everyone
is vaccinated, including those with
out health insurance.
The clinics will take place at the
Kaiser Cascade Park Medical Office
in Vancouver, 12607 S.E. Mill Plain
Blvd., each Thursday and Friday in
June foom6:30p.m. to8:30p.m. There
also will be a clinic on Saturday,
June 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Clark County is experiencing an
alarm ing increase in whooping
cough infection, with 153 confirmed
cases reported since the first of the
year. Only 25 cases were reported at
this time last year. TheWashington
Department of Health has declared
a statewide whooping cough epi
demic, with more than 2,000 reported
cases.
Whooping cough spreads eas
ily through coughing and can cause
life-threatening illness in infants
under 6 months old. Until vaccina
tions became widespread in the
1940s, whooping cough caused
thousands of deaths each year in
the United States.
The vaccination clinics are an
important collaboration between
Clark County Public Health and
Kaiser Permanente Northwest aimed
at containing the spread of whoop
ing cough in the community.
Gold Master Operator Willie Jack
stands for safe driving, great
customer service and giving
back to the community
TriMet just created a new award—the Gold
Master Operator—to recognize Willie Jack’s record
breaking accomplishments. Willie is the first
operator to earn 30 Superior Performance Awards.
That’s the equivalent of driving full time for 30
years without a preventable accident.
Thank you, Willie—and congratulations!
TR l© M E T
W HAT MAKES THIS PLACE GREAT