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Small Donor Group Makes Big Difference at Downtown Donor Center
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Blood drive coordinator Betty Karratti recruits donors like DD Sommerfeld (on right) to give blood regularly. |
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Betty Karratti, the blood drive coordinator for Hawaii Pacific Health, is busy hosting seven large drives annually at the Kapiolani and Pali Momi Medical Centers. She also recruits smaller groups of donors to give the gift of life at the Blood Bank of Hawaii's Downtown Donor Center four times a year.
The Downtown Center drives, which BBH staff oftten refer to as sponsorships, play a key role in meeting the needs of Hawaii's patients. “Although the number of Hawaii Pacific Health employees who give blood at the Downtown Donor Center is not as large as the numbers of employees who give at our hospital blood drives,” she explained, “we know what a great difference it can make to a patient in need, so we work just as hard to recruit employee donors.”
Coordinating a “sponsored” blood drive involves asking donors at her company to give at a Blood Bank of Hawaii location. A core group of employees take the five minute walk from Hawaii Pacific Health at Harbor Court to the donor center at 126 Queen St.
“The Blood Bank of Hawaii is just a block or so away from our office so it's convenient and helps more people participate in a company supported community service,” Karratti said.
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