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

