Passion for assisting others leads Jamie McGraw to South Bend Medical Foundation

I know several people who love their jobs, but I also know several people who would rather be anywhere than at work.

I also know one person who would work around the clock if he was allowed and I’m not sure it would matter to him whether he was getting paid $3 an hour or $8 an hour. He eats, breathes and dreams South Bend Medical Foundation.

Jamie McGraw, 25, has worked for the Foundation for the last three years as the Blood Donor Attendant at West Edison. South Bend Medical Foundation in conjunction with Logan Center has established a partnership to create opportunities for work placement. Jamie has Down Syndrome, a condition in which extra genetic material causes delays in the way a child develops, both physically and mentally.

Each morning, he boards the bus and travels to work for his 7:30am start. Clad in his white South Bend Medical Foundation polo shirt, Jamie is proud to welcome donors into the blood donor center. His goal is to assist donors so that they have a good experience and want to return.

With a smile on his face and an eagerness to please, Jamie offers each donor an assortment of juice and snacks. He knows the importance of his position.  But this isn’t his only duty. He puts medical supplies away, makes sure the snack totes are refilled for the remote blood drive team, makes cold cloths for donors who suffer from reactions, and makes the coffee and hot tea. It’s all in a day’s work for Jamie.

But it isn’t the work that motivates him to do his best every day, it’s his co-workers.

“My favorite thing is that I love my colleagues.  They’re nice and friendly and they dress appropriately,” said Jamie.

His enthusiasm for his work and even for life is contagious.  He’s even a little bit of a marketing guru. If you call his personal cell phone and are transferred to voice mail, you’ll get a message urging you to donate blood at South Bend Medical Foundation.

It’s a message that comes from the heart and one he knows is important.

“I have donated blood five times. I started because my dad had cancer so I wanted to donate blood in his memory,” said Jamie.

Two years ago, Jamie contacted the marketing crew at the Foundation and told them he thought that every donor should get a turkey when they donate during November. It was amazing how many donors flooded the centers wanting to donate blood so they could receive the Thanksgiving turkey.

And although Jamie has a great amount of passion for his current position, he admits that he wanted to work in the donor area so he could get experience working with people and serving them beverages and making them comfortable because his goal is to work for the airlines as a flight attendant.

He’s active in Logan Center and recently served as the chairman of the Logan’s Run.  He also is an usher at St. Joe Parish. One thing is for sure, Jamie is a motivated employee at the Foundation and he clearly loves his job.

Come meet Jamie at our Edison location Monday – Friday between 7:30 and 3:30. He’ll take great care of you!

Never Forget

If you ask just about anyone who is old enough to remember where they were when news that JFK was shot, they can probably tell you.

If you ask anyone where they were on September 11, 2001, you’ll probably get an answer as though it was yesterday.

I had moved that weekend from LaPorte to my apartment in South Bend. I had taken that Monday and Tuesday off to get settled and had talked to a friend at work when she told me that a plane had flown into one of the towers at the World Trade Center.

In a matter of seconds, I hooked my TV up and started watching the coverage.  There was mass chaos as people were unsure of where their loved ones were.  So many people were on their cell phones that many people were unable to complete their calls. Many were trapped in the city, unable to get home because the subway was shut down. Soon, all planes would be grounded and millions of people were stuck in airports across the United States.

At the South Bend Medical Foundation, people lined up around the building to donate blood. They waited for hours because they wanted to do something to help those injured in New York. So many people wanted to help that we had almost too much blood. For days, people showed their support by flying the American Flag, wearing red, white and blue pins and donating money to those affected by the terrorist attacks. We vowed we would never forget.

Unfortunately, 10 years ago we had lines wrapped around the building, while two years ago we were alerting the news media because donations were so low that we had fallen to a one day supply of O negative blood. Last year, donors beds remained nearly empty again and our supplies fell drastically.

This year, South Bend Medical Foundation will mark the 10 year anniversary of the tragic events in New York by hosting a blood drive in honor of Katie McCloskey and Kathy Hawk Nicosia. Both were natives of South Bend and both graduated from Adams High School. 

Katie’s friends and family have established a scholarship fund in memory of Katie at Adams High School. South Bend Medical Foundation will donate $5 per unit collected to the fund.

If you would like to show your support for our local fire and police agencies and honor Katie and Kathy by donating blood, sign up for an appointment to donate blood at the South Bend Fire House, 1222 South Michigan Street on Sunday, September 11 between 10am and 3pm. Appointments can be made by calling 574.234.1157 or by signing up online at http://bit.ly/911HERO. 

Many donors are still eligible to donate even if they are taking medications. If you have questions about your eligibility please contact 574.234.1157 or donors@sbmf.org.  Volunteers will be on hand to provide activities for children if you need to bring them while you donate.

Donate blood for a chance to win a 2012 Ford Focus, B-100 Birthday Bash tickets and special B-100 tailgating wristbands!

On June 8^th, the doors of Jordan Automotive Group flooded open as 83 people were ready to donate blood. Not only were donors given an entry for the new 2012 Ford Focus, but they were also given food and refreshments, along with several drawings for special prizes and extra chances to win the car.

On August 3^rd, South Bend Medical Foundation and Jordan Automotive Group will join efforts to host another blood drive at Jordan, 609 East Jefferson Blvd in Mishawaka from 2pm until 7pm. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments will be honored first. To make an appointment call 574.234.1157 or sign up online using the link http://bit.ly/JordanAuto.

First time and repeat donors are all welcome to attend the festivities and donor eligibility requirements can be found at our website, www.GiveBloodNow.com.

A few thousand donors have given blood since the kick-off of the promotion, which began on June 1^st. All donors will be entered to win the 2012 Ford Focus each time he or she donates blood. The promotion will end at the close of business on August 26^th and 50 donors will be selected as finalists.  All finalists will be required to attend the raffle on August 31^st from 6pm until 8pm.

Complete rules for the promotion can be found at www.GiveBloodNow.com.

Type it! With SBMF at the Elkhart County 4H fair on Friday

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know my blood type. I first donated blood in college and I’m sure I didn’t know my blood type before then, but I guess it didn’t really matter.

Now that I work at South Bend Medical Foundation, it sort of shocks me when a potential donor doesn’t know what type of blood he or she has.

On Friday, July 29^th, South Bend Medical Foundation will be typing blood in the Elkhart General Hospital’s “Healthy Lifestyle Tent” at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair from 9am until 8pm. 

 The blood typing system will require those being screened to have a small pin prick to produce a drop of blood. Once the blood is placed on a special testing paper, the donor will be notified of his or her blood type.

Why is blood type important? There are eight different types of blood including A, A-, B+, B-, AB+, AB-, O+ and O-. The + are read as positive and the – is read as a negative.

Each person has one of these blood types. I have O negative blood which means that I can give blood to anyone else, but I can only receive blood from other O negative donors. But it doesn’t work like that for everyone. My blood type, O-, is the universal donor so everyone can accept it. But recipients with a type of B- can only receive O- and B- blood and can only donate to other B- recipients. It gets a little complicated, but is important because if you need a transfusion and are given the wrong type it could cause huge complications.

So if I’ve caught your curiosity at all, you might be wondering what donor types can give blood to others or receive blood from others, right? Well here goes:

If you have type AB+ blood, you are in luck because you can receive all types of blood. There are only 3.4% of people in the population with this type of blood.

Those with AB- are the rarest blood type with only .6% accounting for the population. People with this type are able to receive blood from AB-, A-, B- and AB- donors and are able to donate to those with AB- and AB+ types.

At the opposite end of the spectrum as far as “popular” blood types is A+. Approximately 37.4% of the United States population has A+ blood type. Many people think that since they are A+ and it isn’t a rare blood type or a universal blood type that they don’t need to donate. However, since it is a very popular blood type, it means that you should donate blood because more people are in need of it! A+ donors can give to AB+ recipients and A+, and can receive blood from those who are A+, O+, A- and O-.

The 6.3% of the population who have A- blood are able to give blood to AB+, AB-, A+ and A- recipients, and are eligible to receive blood from only two types. Know what they are? If you guessed A- and O- then you are correct.

With the second rarest blood type, those in the United States with type B- blood only account for 1.5% of the population. If you have type B- blood, stick close to people with types B- and O- because you can only give and receive these types of blood.

Finally, since we already talked about O- blood, which is the universal donor and can be given to anyone, we’re left with O+.  While O- donors account for 6.6% of the population, O+ donors account for 37.4% of the population with the most common blood type. While O+ can be given to all of the positive types, it can only receive O- and O+ types.

There is a lot to be said for the typing process! Before it was figured out, people had reactions and sometimes died during transfusions.

Join South Bend Medical Foundation on July 29^th at the Healthy Lifestyles tent from 9am until 8pm, on Rotary Blvd at the fairgrounds.

Free food and extra chances to win the Ford Focus when you donate at Jordan tomorrow

What has mirrors, a brilliant red exterior and a paper plate?

It isn’t a goofy science experiment or your leftover dinner. It’s the beautiful brand new 2012 Ford Focus which you are eligible to win when you donate blood at South Bend Medical Foundation before August 26th.

During your lunch hour on Friday, July 8th, stop by Jordan Automotive Group at 609 East Jefferson in Mishawaka and enjoy food and refreshments while you donate blood between 11am and 2pm. Not only will you be saving the lives of others, but you will also be eligible to win the 2012 Ford Focus at the end of the summer. But wait, it gets even better because South Bend Medical Foundation will be giving away extra chances to win the Focus during the blood drive.

The vehicle is a 2012 Ford Focus 4-Door Sedan SE with an automatic transmission, cruise control, 15” wheels, Halogen headlights, rear window defroster, power windows and mirrors, AM/FM stereo single CD/MP3, auxiliary audio input jack, air conditioning, cloth bucket seats (front), 60/40 split Ford rear seat, tilt steering, power door locks with remote keyless entry, and anti-lock brakes.

If you aren’t in the market for a new vehicle, don’t worry, there is a $10,000 cash option.
For complete information about the raffle visit http://www.givebloodnow.com/

Remembering Ava

 Although Ava Zimmerman was only alive for a short time, her courage touched the lives of her family and her community.  On July 6^th, Ava’s family and their friends will come together at the Niles Inn from 2pm until 7pm to remember and honor the little girl who only lived 93 days.

September 29, 2007 was one of the happiest days in Jamie Zimmerman’s life. Jamie and her husband, Jamie, and son Brayden welcomed Ava into their family. But what seemed to be one of the happiest days soon turned the Zimmerman family upside down.   

The nurses found what they believed to be a heart murmur and recommended that Ava be taken to the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital, about a three drive away. At just two days old, Ava had her first surgery to attempt to correct her Interrupted Aortic Arch and Truncus Arteriosis. She came out surgery and seemed to be doing better until about her seventh week when doctors discovered that Ava’s truncal valve which replaced her aortic valve was leaking and she needed to have another operation.

“After Ava was born and we found out she had heart defects, our world came crumbling down. It is a parent’s worst nightmare and we naively believed that something like this would never happen to us. Now we know how rough life can be and that you never know what tragedy life might bring your way,” said Ava’s mother, Jamie.

This operation presented some unexpected complications and Ava endured a twelve hour operation which left her too weak and she was placed on an ECMO machine, a form of life support.

“At this point we were still hopeful that she had a chance to survive as the staff believed that if her heart was given a rest on ECMO, then maybe it would recuperate,” said Jamie.

Instead, Ava developed sepsis and antibiotic treatments to cure it were unsuccessful.

“On January 2, 2008, we made a futile attempt to allow Ava’s heart to function on its own as we trialed her off ECMO. We knew the chances of this working were slim and we soon had to say our goodbyes to our precious baby girl. I held her in my arms as they took her off life support,” said Jamie.

Jamie and her husband looked for ways to give meaning and purpose to young Ava’s short life. They donated all of Jamie’s breast milk to the hospital’s milk bank for children who were sick.  They participated in several 5k runs, helped with Ronald McDonald House, Hearts of Hope and several other charities.

Now, the Zimmerman’s focus on two events each year to honor and remember Ava. The blood drive, which takes place each summer, first began on what would have been Ava’s 10 month anniversary. Over 75 people attended the first blood drive and each year the drive attracts people who want to show their support for the Zimmerman family. The blood drive at Niles Inn on July 6^th will be the fourth annual Ava Zimmerman Blood Drive.

Their goal for the blood drive is to recruit more and more people each year to help people in the community. 

Jamie began the blood drives, “because of Ava’s numerous transfusions, at least a dozen of different varieties, I thought this would be a great way to give back to the community and to keep her in the minds and hearts of all the people who had supported us through our tragic experience,” said Jamie.

In addition to the yearly blood drive, Jamie and her husband organize an annual poker run which funds, “Ava’s Heart Foundation” at Mott Children’s Hospital.  To date, they have raised $18,000 from the poker runs and the fund helps other families of heart patients.

“I would like everyone to know what a strong, beautiful angel Ava is, although I know her followers during the time she was alive already realize that. The only thing we know for sure is that Ava’s spirit is still alive in all of us. Brayden helps us find glimpses of his sister in everyday things such as butterflies, pennies, dandelions, hearts and flowers,” said Jamie.

The Zimmerman’s welcomed Ava’s baby brother, Avary, into the family about a year ago and are sure he will help spread Ava’s spirit to the world, as well.

If you would like to make an appointment to donate blood in honor of Ava Zimmerman call 269.876.2317 or make an appointment online at http://bit.ly/AZBldDrive.  Walk-ins are welcome to donate on July 6^th at the Niles Inn, 930 South 11^th Street in Niles from 2:00pm until 7:00pm.

All donors will be entered into South Bend Medical Foundation’s summer promotion and will be eligible for the raffle to win the 2012 Ford Focus from Jordan Automotive Group.  For more information about the promotion visit www.GiveBloodNow.com

Make an appointment to donate blood on July 1st, 2nd or 5th and you'll receive a $10 gas card

As I sit with my family on the 4^th of July and the fireworks are lighting up the sky, I am thankful that my family is healthy and able to be with me. I know I’m one of the lucky ones.

In the nearly three years that I have worked at South Bend Medical Foundation, I have met many donors who all have different reasons for donating blood. Some are survivors of cancer, some have lost family members who have needed transfusions, and others are giving back because they are thankful their loved one survived a surgery or accident.

As I stated in a previous blog, summer is a hard time for the Foundation to keep our blood supply at above minimum levels. It’s a time when many of our donors are on vacation and local colleges and universities are on break.

We have to create promotions we think will appeal to donors and entice them to take time of their busy days and come in and donate. We also hope the promotion will be just enough to persuade a brand new donor to overcome their fears of the unknown and get stuck for the first time.

Not only will blood donors who donate this summer be entered to win a 2012 Ford Focus, but if you make an appointment for July 1^st, 2^nd or 5^th, you will automatically be given a $10 gas card when you donate a unit of blood. Appointments can be made by calling 574.234.1157 or online at www.GiveBloodNow.com.

Support RoofSit by donating blood on Thursday

It seems almost unimaginable that someone would lay a hand on a child, yet it happens every day.

On Thursday, June 23rd, South Bend Medical Foundation will support U93’s efforts to prevent childabuse and bring awareness to the community by donating $5 for each unit of blood donated.

"As a not-for-profit organization, we realize how important it is to appeal to the community for support.  We feel that U93’s Roofsit is a great cause.

The summer months are a particularly hard time for the Foundation to attract blood donors, and we are hoping this partnership assists us with our blood supply while providing funds to prevent child abuse," said Kay Clark-Cox, Manager of Blood Donor Recruitment.

Anyone wishing to make an appointment to give blood at the blood drive during the Roofsit event at Martin’s Super Market, 2081 South Bend Avenue in South Bend on Thursday, June 23rd between 11am and 4pm may do so by visiting http://bit.ly/ROOFSIT.

Anyone who donates blood before August 26th or donates at the RoofSit blood drive will be eligible to win the 2012 Ford Focus.

Helping Pets, Helping People

Did you know that human beings are not the only ones who can donate blood?  While humans need blood for surgeries and traumas, dogs need blood for the same reasons.

On Saturday, June 18^th, South Bend Medical Foundation will partner with Morris Animal Hospital to host a blood drive with the theme of “Helping Pets, Helping People,” from 10:30am until 3:00pm.

According to Dr. Amanda Cunningham, their hospital has collected a unit each month for several years which they keep on hand for traumas or routine surgeries. Dogs also might need blood if they have autoimmune diseases or if they digest rat poisoning which will cause bleeding.

The process for dogs to give blood is very similar to that of human donations.  First, the dog is screened to be sure that they are a healthy donor. This is done through testing which includes a complete blood count (CBC), a urinalysis, and the animal must be on heartworm, flea and tick prevention medication. In addition, the dog will be tested for dog erythrocyte antigens (DEA).  If the dog is 1.1 negative or positive, the animal is able to be a donor. Also, the donor must be at least 50 pounds, age 6 or younger and in good general health.

Just as our canine friends have minimum requirements they must meet to be eligible donors, humans have them as well. For example, while dogs must be a minimum 50lbs, humans must be a minimum of 110lbs. Also, human donors need to be screened to determine which of the eight blood types they are, dogs have up to 12 types of blood.

In a human donation, the donor gives a unit of blood which is 500mL of whole blood using a vein in the arm. Dogs give 450mL out of the jugular vein and medication is sometimes used to relax the four legged friend.  And finally, while human blood has a shelf life of 42 days, canine blood is good for about 25 days.

Although the Morris Animal Hospital has enough doggie donors signed up to give blood on Saturday, you can contact your local veterinary if you are interested in having your dog screened to be an eligible donor. If you are interested in seeing the process of how dogs donate blood or would like to donate blood yourself at the Morris Animal Hospital on Saturday, contact 271-1909 or sign up online at http://bit.ly/MorrisBloodDrive

Focus on Saving Lives and Win a Car!!!

For those of you who live in Michiana, you’ve probably heard Jordan Automotive’s tag line, “The Jordan Way.” They boast “Easy, Stress-Free & One Low Price.”

Well, this summer the low price can’t get any lower because South Bend Medical Foundation (SBMF) and Jordan Automotive have teamed up to offer our blood donors a brand new 2012 Ford Focus. It really doesn’t get much more stress-free and easier than that!

Today, WNDU helped pass along the word to their viewers that blood donors will be eligible to win the vehicle, or a $10,000 cash option, when they donate blood before August 26^th. SBMF will draw 50 names and those 50 will be on hand at Jordan Automotive on August 31st to see if they are winners of the Focus.

Although we run many promotions at South Bend Medical Foundation, this ranks as the largest! Help us kick off our summer promotion by donating blood at Jordan Automotive Group, 609 East Jefferson on Wednesday, June 8^th from 3pm -6pm. There’ll be food, Sunny 101.5, South Bend Medical Foundation’s bloodmobile and several chances for donors to win extra chances in the drawing for the Focus.

Help us FOCUS ON SAVING LIVES! To learn more about blood donations, to schedule an appointment or to view complete rules of the promotion, visit http://www.givebloodnow.com/

Memorial Day signals decrease in summer donations at the Foundation

Memorial Day for many people means a three day weekend, cookouts with family members, and the beginning of warm, sunny days to come.

Unfortunately, at the South Bend Medical Foundation, it signals a time when we need to ramp up donations because the need for blood increases while the supply of blood decreases. Donors are outside enjoying the longer days or on vacation causing our inventory between Memorial Day and Labor Day to become scarce.  During this time, there is usually an increase in the need of blood because people are more active and more accidents, heart attacks and surgeries occur.

If you have never donated blood, here is a summary of the process.  South Bend Medical Foundation offers three types with the most common type, whole blood, described below. This is the type that is most common at blood drives and for first time donors. The donor registers and is given a sheet with medical questions to fill out. This “donor history form” is used to screen patients based on lifestyle choices. 

Following the confidential screening process, donors are then given a mini physical which includes blood pressure, pulse, hematocrit and temperature.  Once the donor is done screening, it’s time to donate!

A phlebotomist will scrub the area of your arm and will determine which vein will work the best for drawing. After a little preparation time, it will only take between about 4 and 7 minutes for most donors to give a pint of blood. Your arm will be wrapped and now it’s time for juice and cookies.

We ask that donors stay in the post donation area for about 10 minutes to be sure you are feeling alright. It’s as simple as that! With that 45-60 minute time frame, you have potentially saved three lives.

Make an appointment to donate blood at South Bend Medical Foundation 574.234.1157 or online at www.givebloodnow.com

Have you ever considered donating blood?

The decision to give blood is not an easy one for some. Many people say they won’t donate because they have a fear of needles, others say that no one ever asked them. There are several myths and fears which deter people from walking into the donor center.

I donated blood for the first time at Indiana University in my dorm.  The Red Cross had set up a mobile blood drive on the first floor of my residence hall and I was passing through after class and was asked to donate. At the time, I had just been elected the Read-Landes Governess and thought I should set a good example and donate.

I had no idea what I was about to get myself into. Just kidding! I know that many people have a fear of needles and honestly, I’m not particularly fond of them myself. I just look away! I don’t remember the actual donation experience, so it must have been a positive one. I’ve been a blood donor since then and just donated for the 52^nd time this morning.

Everyone has their own personal reasons for donating. I wish more people would consider it. Did you know that there isn’t a substitute for human blood? If there weren’t volunteer donors, and there were patients in need of blood, they would die. It truly is a matter of life and death.

In a posting the other day on facebook, we asked our fans and friends to write about the first time they donated blood. Many of the people who answered the question started donating blood because they had a loved one who was in need or who just received blood and they wanted to give back to the community.

Jo Kennedy Faulstich promised to give back after her dad had prostate surgery and required three transfusions. She is now working toward her 5^th gallon of donations. Congratulations!

Tricia Sloma was raised knowing how important it is to donate blood when she witnessed her grandmother volunteering to donate blood at the local blood bank. I’m sure she would be proud of your commitment to saving the lives of others.

Trudy Herron was always curious about donating blood and one day was asked by a friend if she would like to tag along and give blood. It was the encouragement of her friend that led her to become a donor. Way to go!

And finally, Ladonna Minarik wrote about how her grandfather had died of leukemia.  Many cancer patients receive blood transfusions and platelets during their treatment.  Platelets help patients with clotting and are valuable in the treatment process.

If you’ve never been asked to donate blood or never thought it was important, I hope you will consider how your generosity will help others.  If you have questions about donating or would like to talk about the process please give me a call – Colleen 574.234.1157 or talk with one of our phlebotomists, they’ll be glad to answer any questions you might have.

He defied the odds... Ray Wolfenbarger 10 years later...

On December 16, 2011, Sergeant Ray Wolfenbarger will record another milestone in his life. A life that ten years ago, was almost taken away when he was shot three times while on duty with the South Bend Police Department.

During his midnight patrol on the southwest side of South Bend, Wolfenbarger began following a car without headlights. Following a short chase, the car driven by 19-year-old Christopher Hogan crashed. Wolfenbarger approached the vehicle and was shot by Hogan.  Although he was wearing a bullet proof vest, the bullets entered his shoulder and abdomen, causing extensive bleeding.

Paramedics responded to the scene and gave him a mere 5% chance of survival.  But Ray didn’t see it that way.

Instead, the 27-year-old, four year police veteran, knew that he would have to fight to survive so he could continue to take care of his wife Amy and their 2-year-old daughter, Bailee.

He battled against the odds of survival, despite the fact that he literally bled out over four times. The average human adult male has between 10 and 12 units of blood and Ray received 47 units during his nine surgeries and recovery.

It was a long road to where he is today, after all, doctors didn’t think he would make it in the beginning.  He defied the odds. They didn’t think he’d walk and he defied the odds, as well.

Had it not been for donors at South Bend Medical Foundation who had volunteered to give blood, Bailee might not have her father with her today. It is because of the selfless acts of those donors, who gave blood not knowing that a police officer would be shot that weekend, that enough blood was on hand to save Ray’s life.

Ray knows the importance of donating blood because it saved his own life.  He’s been a faithful donor since he was medically cleared and helps each year with the Fallen Officer Blood Drive honoring officers who have been killed in the line of duty.

For the first time in many years, Ray will be unable to donate. Although he tries to repay the community by giving back the 36 units he used, doctors recently found a blood clot in his system and advised him to take blood thinners which defer him from donating.

On June 15^th, the South Bend Police Department will open its doors to the public and encourage the community the donate blood in honor of the Fallen Officers.  This event is important to Ray and his family and the families of the men who have lost their loved ones so that we can have protection.

Ray’s goal for the event is to get 125 units during the Fallen Officer Blood Drives. Help show your support by making an appointment at http://bit.ly/SBFallenOfficers or contact Barb at 574.235.9311. 

South Bend Medical Foundation will also host a blood drive in honor of the Mishawaka Fallen Officers on June 16^th from 11am until 4pm at the Police Department on Church Street. If you would like to donate please contact Chris Daggy at 574.258.1683 or visit http://bit.ly/MishFallenOfficers or email cdaggy@mishawakacity.com.

An introduction to South Bend Medical Foundation's blog

Have you ever had a lab test and wondered what the lingo on the requisition meant?  Or have you donated blood and wanted to learn more about how blood donor services works? Or perhaps you have a lab question you would like answered, but are too shy or embarrassed to ask.

Beginning this week, I will be blogging on a bi-weekly basis about South Bend Medical Foundation.  Topics of my blogs will be geared toward blood donors and lab patients, as well as members of the general public who are interested in learning more about being healthy or more about the Foundation as a whole.

I’ve been employed at South Bend Medical Foundation in the Public Relations department for over two years.  Like many of you, I have a lot of questions as both a blood donor and occasional lab patient. Although I work at SBMF now, my background isn’t in a medical field, so each day I learn something new.

I hope this blog will be very interactive and that readers will feel comfortable enough to comment and to bring forth questions you’d like answered.  Stay tuned and please feel free to submit questions to chahn@sbmf.org with the subject line confidential blog if you have questions you would like addressed without including your name.