18 | MAY 14 • 2020
Jews in the D
O
n May 3, 220 individuals waited
their turn to be part of a five-hour-
long momentous blood drive in
hopes of being eligible to donate plasma to
help those suffering from COVID-19.
Hatzalah of Michigan-Emergency
Medical Services, in partnership with the
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., held the
drive to identify those whose blood shows
antibody levels high enough to allow them
to donate plasma for scientific trials and
treatment of individuals who have the virus.
The drive, which took place in an out-
door, tented area at Yeshiva Beth Yehudah
in Oak Park, was so well-attended, a second
one was scheduled for Sunday, May 10.
Ensuring social distancing, potential
donors remained in their cars until called,
with testers maintaining minimal contact.
Volunteer medics from the Oak Park-
based Hatzalah, along with area doctors
and nurses, drew blood at the May 3rd
drive. The Convalescent Plasma Drive was
organized by Hatzalah, in conjunction with
Lev Rochel Bikur Cholim of Lakewood,
N.J., with the assistance of Dr. Nigel Paneth,
a professor of epidemiology, biostatistics
and pediatrics at Michigan State University
and part of the leadership of the National
COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project.
The drive was sponsored by TCF Bank
in collaboration with Hatzalah nation-
wide, Ascension Providence Hospital in
Southfield and the American Red Cross,
with support from the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit.
BLOOD TESTING
Blood drawn was sent to the Mayo Clinic to
be tested. Names of those whose tests show
probable useful antibodies will be shared
with Hatzalah, whose staff will work with
Ascension to direct donors to blood banks
and help with screening and registration.
The process of harvesting — or removing
— the plasma from the blood takes place
at the blood banks. “It begins with a stan-
dard blood draw,
” according to Hatzalah’
s
volunteer director, Dr. Steve McGraw, who
is medical director of Oakland County
Medical Control Authority and Emergency
Department Chief at Providence Hospital.
He and blood drive volunteer, hematologist
and oncologist Dr. Daniel Lebovic oversaw
the outdoor testing site.
LEFT: Blood plasma donation site parking lot. CENTER: Tents set up for blood donations. RIGHT: A volunteer checks donors’
paperwork.
TOP: Tents and volunteers are ready for donors.
BOTTOM: A volunteer gets ready to draw blood from a donor.
SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Blood drives held in hopes of helping COVID-19 patients.
How to Save a Life
PHOTOS BY SHALOM KORN