Lyda, a specialist nurse in the Neonatology department, has been a blood donor since 2009. She is not a fan of pricking, partly because she is ‘difficult to puncture’. That’s because of my thin blood vessels, explains Lyda, so it all takes a little longer for me. Then you see those young men walk in with big arms and leave after fifteen minutes. I see them come and go, Lyda laughs. Yet Lyda faithfully goes to Sanquin blood bank 3 to 4 times a year to donate her blood.
I’m doing this for Miriam. Mirjam was my colleague at first, but we soon became friends. Mirjam was very driven. If she had put her nails in something, she wouldn’t let go. She wasn’t afraid of anything. Already 15 years ago Mirjam was committed to a mother-child center. She just walked over to the board to talk about it. Lyda’s face glows with pride; she was a lot younger than me but i really looked up to her.
Diagnosis breast cancer
As a mother of two young children, Mirjam was diagnosed with breast cancer. Mirjam was sure she would get better. After all, she was in the midst of life and had two young children. Her job was everything to her too. Unfortunately Mirjam died of breast cancer at the age of 34.
Lyda; Until the very end, Mirjam remained committed to 3 things that were very close to her heart; the blood donor, the Roparun and the mother-child center. She motivated colleagues to become blood donors because it is so important, also for people with cancer, and that money had to be raised for cancer research. When she was ill, she could no longer participate in the Roparun. But she stood by the side of the Zuiderziekenhuis to encourage the participants. Normally the route did not pass the Zuiderziekenhuis, Mirjam took care of that, Lyda laughs, that’s how Mirjam was.
After her death I resolved to continue to commit myself to her 3 passions. I have registered as a blood donor, I participate in the Roparun and I have committed myself to the mother-child center. And after 15 years there will be one!
Donating blood for the first time
Donating blood for the first time actually made me feel very happy. When I lay there I thought: Look Mirjam, I’m donating blood. In fact, that feeling is still just as strong with every blood donation. I am proud of myself then. I can always treat myself to a pink cake, Lyda laughs, only then.
At the Blood Bank you often meet other blood donors. You also hear stories about why someone has become a donor. It is actually strange that many people play with the idea of becoming a blood donor, but that often something has to happen first, a trigger, before they actually register as a blood donor. And that’s a shame, because maybe your blood could have helped someone sooner. That’s what Mirjam always said. Just do it, don’t wait, just do it!
Blood Donation Neonatology
I also see it in the Neonatology Department. One baby where the umbilical cord was broken and one where the placenta was released just before birth. Both children had lost a lot of blood and were not yet able to make the lost blood again. They are then administered so-called Packet cells. These are highly concentrated red blood cells. If there had been no blood, these babies would take years to recover. In the past, almost all premature babies received a blood transfusion. Today that is rather an exception.
We receive the blood from our own blood bank. If the baby has the same blood type as the mother, the mother’s blood is used to test the cross-reaction. So how the blood reacts to the donor blood. This is tested in our own blood lab.
strong team
Lyda recently celebrated her 35th work anniversary. I started at the Zuiderziekenhuis. Because I wanted to work less, I transferred to the Sint Clara Hospital. After the merger I ran into my old colleagues again. We are a strong team of colleagues who, like me, have been working here for decades. Mirjam was a driving force within the team, she motivated everyone and attracted colleagues to her enthusiasm, also for the mother-child center. How nice it would be if we dwell on her for a moment at the opening.
special moment
I recently bought a new cabinet. While clearing out the old cupboard, I came across a card from Mirjam. The six people who were allowed to accompany her coffin have received such a card. Mirjam also asked the then director for this. She flattened the door on him. I got the card a week after her funeral. It was still written by herself. She thanked me for wanting to escort her coffin. Still, it’s special that I just now find the map again.
With an hour of your time, as a blood donor, you have a huge impact on the lives of countless patients. Become a blood donor too and save 3 lives per donation. Register now at www.sanquin.nl/maasstad.
Do you also have a great story about giving or donating blood? We would love to hear your experience story.