92 | MAY 28 • 2020 

Plasma Drive

Blood drives held in hopes of helping 
COVID-19 patients.

R

esults from the first 
Hatzalah of Michigan 
blood drive, held in 
Oak Park on May 7, deter-
mined that 100 of those tested 
have the antibodies needed to 
donate plasma to COVID-19 
patients, with each session 
supplying enough plasma to 
benefit three patients.
A second drive on May 10 
found 180 individuals with anti-
bodies. 
According to a spokesperson 
at Ascension Providence, 100% 
of those who tested positive 
from both drives expressed 
willingness to donate plasma, 
compared to a very low percent-
age of those who were contacted 
after testing positive in other 
settings. 
Hatzalah of Michigan-
Emergency Medical Services, 
in partnership with the Mayo 
Clinic in Rochester, Minn., 
held the early May drives. The 
purpose was to identify those 
whose blood shows antibody 
levels high enough to allow 
them to donate plasma for sci-
entific trials and treatment of 
individuals who have the virus. 
Blood drawn was sent to 
the Mayo Clinic to be tested. 
Names of those whose tests 
show probable useful antibodies 
are being shared with Hatzalah, 
whose staff will work with 
Ascension Providence Hospital 
in Southfield to direct donors 
to blood banks and help with 
screening and registration. 
Ensuring social distancing, 
potential donors remained in 
their cars in front of Yeshiva 

Beth Yehudah in Oak Park 
until called to private tents. 
Volunteer medics from the Oak 
Park-based Hatzalah, along 
with area doctors and nurses, 
drew blood. The second drive 
added a dedicated test line for 
frontline workers, including first 
responders and health care and 
law enforcement professionals. 
The drives were sponsored by 
TCF Bank in collaboration with 
Hatzalah nationwide and the 
American Red Cross, with sup-
port from the Jewish Federation 
of Metropolitan Detroit.
The non-emergency assis-
tance volunteer group Detroit 
Chaverim provided traffic 
control for the drives, held as 
part of the Yitzchok Lebovits 
COVID Plasma Initiative 
Foundation, with the support 
of the Orthodox Union and 
Agudath Israel of America.
The outdoor testing sites were 
overseen by Hatzalah’
s volunteer 
director, Dr. Steve McGraw, 
medical director of Oakland 
County Medical Control 
Authority and Emergency 
Department Chief at Providence 
Hospital, and Dr. Daniel 
Lebovic, blood-drive volunteer, 
hematologist and oncologist. 
The EMS coordinator for the 
Southfield Fire Deptartment 
contacted drive organizer Nachy 
Soloff of Southfield, asking if 
the department could partner 
with Hatzalah on a third drive, 
providing staff along with out-
reach and “advertising” beyond 
the Orthodox community. 
That drive takes place Sunday, 
May 31, at the Southfield Civic 
Center. 

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

SHALOM KORN 

A donor is 
prepared for a 
blood draw.

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