Daniel was born with beta thalassemia major, a genetic blood disorder that prevents his body from producing healthy, functional hemoglobin.

“His red blood cells can't carry oxygen, so every 21 days, we come here for what we call a ‘refill’ for him to get about two units of donor red blood cells,” said Allison Wendler, Daniel’s mom.

For six to eight hours the infusion center becomes Daniel’s playground.

“He gets to play Roblox most of the day. He also gets to play on the Xbox and the PS5,” said Allison. “Steve, the therapy dog, comes a lot of times on Friday, and we love visiting with Steve.”

Timothy L. McCavit, M.D., MSCS, a pediatric hematologist at Cook Children's, has treated Daniel since he was adopted seven years ago. He has watched Daniel grow and thrive thanks to blood donors.

“Regular access to blood allows him to be a normal child,” said Dr. McCavit.

Each transfusion Daniel receives comes from donors through Carter BloodCare. Behind every unit of blood, there is a donor with a unique story.

On Tuesday, for the first time, Daniel and his family met some of the people who help keep him alive.

Two Parallel Journeys, One Perfect Match

Jeff Noble has been donating blood for the past six years. His own medical diagnosis requires him to do so.

“I have too much iron in my blood,” said Noble.

Noble was one of six donors who attended a special celebration for Daniel hosted by Carter BloodCare. The surprise reveal allowed Daniel’s donors to see the real-world, daily impact of their selflessness.

“Daniel would not be alive today if it weren't for donors,” said Allison.

Because of Noble and donors like him, Daniel doesn’t just survive; he thrives. He recently attended basketball camp and won the game ball for playing the best offense and defense.

Dr. McCavit hopes Daniel’s story encourages others to donate and lead community blood donation drives.

“Because the need is never ending,” said Dr. McCavit.

A Critical Shortage

Carter Bloodcare reports it is currently experiencing a critical blood shortage, with less than a single day’s supply of certain blood types on the shelves.

Dr. McCavit encourages anyone who is able to donate, noting that it’s a quick and easy process.

“I donate regularly, so I absolutely try to put my money where my mouth is in terms of encouraging people to donate,” said Dr. McCavit.

Cook Children’s utilizes blood transfusions for its most vulnerable patients, from premature infants weighing less than two pounds to teenagers. Dr. McCavit explained that blood transfusions are used in a variety of settings from the intensive care unit, operating rooms, the emergency department, and for children undergoing treatment for cancer and other blood disorders.

Fast Facts on Blood Donation:

• One donation can save up to three lives.

• Every 2 seconds, someone needs blood.
• Only 3% of eligible Americans donate blood.

To Donate visit Carter BloodCare.

The first way is to prepare your child for the doctor’s visit. Studies show that children are less anxious for a doctor’s visit or medical procedure when they are informed beforehand. Honesty is the best policy when preparing a child for a blood draw, but it is important to use child friendly words.

Bringing a favorite toy or stuffed animal to the clinic can help. Familiar items help children feel safe and less anxious.

At the clinic it is important for you to stay cool, calm and collected. Children feed off of their parent’s emotions and an anxious parent could very easily make for an anxious child.

At Cook Children’s tips for preparation and comfort can be provided by the Child Life specialist on staff. Child Life specialists use their knowledge and background of child development to help practice successful distraction techniques and coping strategies. Comfort tips can be provided by the Child Life specialist to help with the blood draw such as comfort positioning, distraction and child friendly explanations.

Praise goes a long way. It is so important to support your child and provide encouragement during the blood draw and afterwards. Choose specific skills to praise such as, “You did a great job of holding still” or “You took good deep breaths.” Try to avoid any negative comments such as “Don’t cry” or “Be a good girl/boy” because it’s perfectly normal for a child to be nervous or anxious about a blood draw. Instead, validate your child’s feelings by saying, “That was hard, but you did a great job by holding your arm still.”

For more information on how you can help your child cope with blood draws, hospitals or clinic visits, you can read these resources:

http://childlife.org/files/PowerParentsTipSheet.pdf

http://childlife.org/files/ComfortMeasuresandTips.pdf

About the author

Laura Sonefeld is a Child Life specialist at Cook Children's. Our Child Life staff members recognize that hospitalized children still need opportunities to just be kids. They help children and families cope with a hospital experience by providing emotional and developmental support, giving honest information geared to the child's level of understanding and providing fun activities. The Child Life team works with medical and support staff to create a warm, child-friendly environment.