At Boston Standard Plumbing & Heating, we’re big into helping people. Aside from the way we deliver great heating, cooling and plumbing work in Boston, the staff at Boston Standard Plumbing & Heating has been making regular platelet donations to the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Platelets are found in blood, and they help the body form blood clots for healing. Platelets also play a role in healthy growth and tissue regeneration. Unfortunately for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, their platelet counts can drop. This leads to slower healing and a host of other problems.
To counteract the effects of chemotherapy, patients often need platelet transfusions. Using a special collection process that somewhat resembles blood donation, platelets are separated from the donor’s blood and the rest of the donor’s blood is returned to the donor. The process of collecting the platelets is simple, but it takes a little time.
This method of platelet donation is preferred over separating platelets from whole blood units because the donor center can collect an entire “therapeutic dose” of platelets at one time from one person, rather than having to make a therapeutic dose from multiple units of whole blood. Also, it is not critical to match the blood type of platelet donors to that of platelet recipients. In the case of platelets, just about anyone can donate to just about anyone, regardless of blood type, provided that the donor is otherwise healthy.
Unlike whole blood, which can be preserved for later use, platelets don’t store very well, so they are needed frequently and used quickly. With a “shelf-life” of just about 5 days, and the need to test platelets for transmissible diseases, time is of the essence! A platelet donation is used just about as quickly as it is made available, and it makes a big difference in the life of the recipient, especially when that recipient is a child.
The staff at Boston Standard Plumbing & Heating regularly volunteers to make platelet donations, and these donations are used virtually immediately in the Boston area for friends and neighbors in need. We’re proud to support the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and we’d like to challenge our customers and friends to step up to the plate.
To make this easier, we’re willing to give you $50 off any service from Boston Standard Plumbing & Heating for the month of April on a purchase of $100 or more, if you provide proof of a platelet donation to the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center during the month of April. Our next staff donation is scheduled over three days – April 16, April 17 and April 18. The Kraft Family Blood Donor Center offers free, validated parking for donors, and the Center often hosts a raffle exclusively for donors.
To make an appointment to donate platelets, please contact the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center at 888-533-7448. To collect your coupon, contact us at Boston Standard Plumbing & Heating at (617) 362-0377 to schedule a visit, and we’ll knock $50 off your bottom line if you schedule a visit or make a purchase of $100 or more in April!
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