Donate Blood, Touch Hearts

If you’re someone who donates blood every eight weeks, Nimsoft is providing your next opportunity.

Nimsoft, a company that provides IT management solutions, is hosting their second blood drive through Stanford Blood Center on August 14 at the .

At the , the community came out in full force to support those in need of blood donations. All of the appointments spots were filled prior to the day of the event, said Sinead Borgersen, blood drive coordinator.

“We had to extend the drive hours that day and even had to turn away folks who walked up as they were so busy,” said Borgersen.

More than 50 people donated, amounting to 132 units of blood. Since it’s often difficult to get blood donations during the summer, Borgersen said the goal is 48 blood donations for the August event.

Blood donations are down across the board, said Clayton Toller, account manager at Stanford Blood Center.

Blood donations are close to Sinead Borgersen’s heart.

Her two-year-old son Faelan has hereditary spherecytosis, which is a rare blood disorder where his spleen attacks his red blood cells that are missing certain proteins, said Borgersen. He has had several blood transfusions in the past two years when he had anemic crises.

“Thankfully he has been pretty stable, but many children are not and need more frequent transfusions,” said Borgersen. “His 14-month-old cousin also has the disorder and just has his tenth blood transfusion.”

Every unit of blood donated makes a difference to Borgersen and others like her.

She said, “Neither myself or my husband can donate to my son, so we literally are dependent on the kindness of strangers that have saved our sons life.”  

Donated blood will be used for emergencies and surgeries at Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.

To donate, visit the Stanford Blood Center website. Appointments are available from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on August 14 at the .