St. John's family says thank you to blood donors

Mother of three-year-old girl with leukemia says blood donation is a ‘massive gift’ that saves lives

Veronica Vardy — holding her three-year-old daughter, Amelia, who was diagnosed with leukemia in July and has had a number of blood transfusions during her treatment — speaks with Holy Heart of Mary High School student Isabel Martin, who was donating blood at Canadian Blood Services in St. John’s Thursday. Vardy said she came to say thank you to blood donors and to introduce them to Amelia to put a face to someone whom blood donations has helped. - Glen Whiffen

Young high school students giving blood for the first time Thursday learned how important the “gift of life” is when they met a little girl whose life has been saved because of blood donations.

Three-year-old Amelia Saunders — along with her parents Doug Saunders and Veronica Vardy — visited Canadian Blood Services in St. John’s Thursday to thank donors for donating blood that helps save so many people’s lives.

Amelia was diagnosed with leukemia in July and since that time has had 11 blood transfusions.

Amelia is responding well to treatment, Vardy says.

As Vardy and the smiling little Amelia went to speak with donors, Doug signed up to make a blood donation.

“But the need for blood does not take a holiday, which is why donations at this time of year are so vitally important for patients.”

— Rick Prinzen, Canadian Blood Services’ chief supply chain officer

A number of Holy Heart of Mary High School students were giving blood and got to meet Amelia.

Marcella Whelan, a Grade 12 Holy Heart student, said it was her first time donating blood. Getting to meet Amelia made the day special, she said, and demonstrates the importance of blood donation.

“So many people need it,” Whelan said. “I’m just glad a whole bunch of people from our school came and donated today.”

Canadian Blood Services has called for more than 30,000 blood donors across the country to book and keep their appointments from Dec. 17 to Jan. 6 to ensure blood and blood products are available to help patients this holiday season.

A news release notes Canadian Blood Services is predicting the risk of a low supply of platelets – a vital blood component with a seven-day shelf life. This is a result of the timing of Christmas and New Year’s, which will result in fewer collection opportunities.

Platelets help make blood clot and are used in the treatment of many serious conditions. One of the most common uses for platelets is to treat cancer patients.

“The holiday period is typically a challenging time to collect blood, with many regular donors away or busy with seasonal commitments,” said Rick Prinzen, Canadian Blood Services’ chief supply chain officer.

“But the need for blood does not take a holiday, which is why donations at this time of year are so vitally important for patients.”

Amelia Saunders, 3, was diagnosed with leukemia in July and received 11 blood transfusions that month. Her parents said she’ll likely need more blood again in November with the next round of chemotherapy. — Amelia Saunders, 3, was diagnosed with leukemia in July and received 11 blood transfusions that month.

Vardy said before Amelia was diagnosed with leukemia and needed blood transfusions, she never really thought of where blood goes after it is donated or of what a monumental gift it is.

“I’m always struck by how generous it is of people to give blood, not knowing where it goes. You don’t see the people in the hospital beds,” Vardy said. “Giving blood is so far reaching. It could be the small kids like my Amelia who have cancer, but it could equally be a 50-year-old person who was in a car crash or it could be an older person who needs blood. It touches so many people at so many stages of their lives, and without being cliché, it really is life. And it’s just a massive, massive gift. It has the potential to save so many lives in so many ways.”

Vardy said Amelia has two older brothers, age 14 and 16, and the whole family is grateful this Christmas.

“In the beginning it was rough. Since then, even when she has a bad day she still manages to laugh and smile, and make me smile,” Vardy said. “She is just a joy. It’s going to be a fantastic Christmas. Just knowing how close you can come … it puts everything in perspective.”

Vardy said she and her husband felt it was important to attend Canadian Blood Services to say thank you to donors.

“There are two groups of people that saved my baby — the Janeway nurses, doctors and staff, and Canadian Blood Services staff and donors,” she said. “Without those two groups of people I wouldn’t have my baby this Christmas. And anything I can do in any way for the rest of my life to help bring awareness, I will do.

“I think it is important for us to thank people and let them know we are extremely grateful and to say, ‘I know you didn’t know when you sat in that chair where your blood might go, if it would go to someone, but I think of what you did every single day and I will think of you for the rest of my life, and cannot thank you enough. It will never be enough.”

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