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Global Healing to Send Sacramento Specialist to Renovate Caribbean Blood Bank
Hospital Blood Bank to Receive New Biomedical Equipment, Training and Support
| Source: Global Healing
BERKELEY, CA--(Marketwire - September 2, 2008) - The San Francisco Bay Area-based non-profit
organization Global Healing has announced its latest blood bank project in
the small island nation of Dominica in the West Indies. At the beginning of
2008, the Princess Margaret Hospital Blood Bank invited Global Healing to
provide new biomedical equipment and relevant training, as well as a review
of its standard operating procedures in order to assure the highest quality
of blood banking. Rita O'Brien MT (ASCP) SBB from the BloodSource in
Sacramento will be traveling to participate in the symposium, trainings and
setup activities. This will be her first trip with Global Healing, although
she has participated in several similar programs through BloodSource and
PEPFAR. BloodSource is a not-for-profit blood services organization
serving Northern and Central California and also serves as a team member of
the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) providing training
and education regarding safe blood banking practices.
Global Healing has an established history in blood banking. After
recognizing a need for safe, reliable blood for its first project, a
pediatric cardiac diagnostic & surgical center in Tbilisi, Georgia, Global
Healing established the Jo Ann Medical Center Blood Bank in 2001.
Continuing from that foundation, Global Healing drew upon the expertise of
its committed volunteer base to facilitate the creation of another blood
bank in Armenia's second largest city, Gyumri, in 2005.
The same model used in Tbilisi, Georgia and Gyumri, Armenia will be
replicated in Dominica. The renovated blood bank will service the needs of
the entire island, about 70,000 Dominicans. Global Healing hopes that the
blood bank will be able to increase production of and accessibility to
cryoprecipitate, essential for treatment of hemophilia and other clotting
diseases. Although they already have the skills to make the blood product,
the staff needs new equipment and more support to make the product more
available. In order to realize its overall mission to bring modern medicine
to the developing world, Global Healing partners with dedicated volunteers,
charitable corporations and earnest local professionals. This project would
not be possible without the steadfast support from Helmer Inc., Dr. Jim &
Masha Doty, The Waitrovich Family Foundation, Reno Central Rotary Club,
Denver Instruments, Bio-Rad, Zebra Technologies and Seagull Software.
BloodSource of Sacramento also complemented corporate contributions for the
Dominican blood bank with donations of equipment and supplies.
"For any of our programs to be fully successful, sustainability is the
bottom line," said Cindy Basso Eaton, president of Global Healing.
"Cooperation by both local government and professionals is essential for
all our programs to continue to work successfully and continue to operate
after our direct involvement has ended."
Global Healing has already sent two shipments of biomedical equipment,
infectious disease testing materials and laboratory supplies to Dominica.
In April 2008, a team from Global Healing surveyed and evaluated the blood
bank to determine its current operating level. The upcoming September trip
will consist of a team of hematology specialists to train the local staff
on the new equipment, as well as introduce a new Hepatitis C test and audit
standard operating procedures. From start to finish, active involvement is
projected to last no more than 12 months -- one of the shortest in the
history of Global Healing.
About Global Healing
Global Healing is a US-registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization devoted
to providing modern medical equipment, supplies and training to the
developing world. It was established in 1994, initially to train and equip
a team of pediatric cardiology surgeons in Tbilisi, Georgia to perform the
nation's first ever pediatric open-heart surgeries. Global Healing has
since started medical programs in Armenia, Honduras and now Dominica. More
information can be found at www.globalhealing.org.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to
a number of risks and uncertainties. We undertake no obligation to revise
or update information herein to reflect events or circumstances in the
future, even if new information becomes available.