Eight Recognized for Each Giving More Than Ten Gallons of Blood

(LANCASTER, Calif. – July 16, 2015) — Eight local residents were inducted into the Diamond Donor Club for each donating more than ten gallons of blood. Collectively they have donated nearly 700 pints – or about 87 gallons – of blood to the Antelope Valley Medical Center (AVMC) Blood Donor Center. This brings the number of Diamond Donor Club members to 49.

“It takes almost 14 years to donate ten gallons of blood,” said AVMC Blood Services Coordinator Ellen Gaines. “The selfless donations of these eight volunteers have provided the gift of life for hundreds of patients over the years.”

All donations through the AVMC Blood Donor Center stay within the hospital. Last year more than 2,200 patients received lifesaving blood transfusions. Donors receive a free cholesterol test and, during the summer blood drive, donors also receive a free rubber ducky. It only takes about 5-10 minutes to give a pint of blood, but the entire process takes about an hour to complete.

The AVMC Blood Donor Center is located on the hospital’s campus in the Antelope Valley Outpatient Imaging Center, 44105 15th Street West, Suite 305, at the intersection of 15th Street West and Avenue J-5. The center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Wednesdays from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the first and third Saturdays of each month from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, or donors can make an appointment by calling 661-949-5622.

About Antelope Valley Medical Center

Celebrating 60 years of caring for the community, Antelope Valley Medical Center is located in the city of Lancaster in northern Los Angeles County. The 420-bed district hospital is a Level II trauma center and provides a full array of medical/surgical services, pediatric treatment, NICU, mental health, cancer care and more. More information is available at www.AVMC.org or by calling 661-949-5000.

Diamond Donors, who each donated at least ten gallons of blood, include (from left): AVMC Director of the clinical laboratory, Larry Walker; Manager of AVMC’s biomedical department, Charles “Dave” White (84 pints); Gene M. Borrelli (91 pints); Jane L. Gordon (88 pints); Joan M. Paolo (94 pints); Byron W. Glennan (84 pints);Barry J. Levine (81 pints); with Jack Burke, AVMC COO/interim CEO.
Donors not pictured include: Paul S. Hirose (94 pints) and Jon M. Bell (82 pints).