By Dana Maze, American Red Cross

Since 2006, Dangkhoa Nguyen, a Chula Vista Fire Captain member of the San Diego Search and Rescue Team Task Force 8, has generously donated 200 units of platelets and 20 units of whole blood to help hospital patients. After one of Dangkhoa’s platelet donations in March 2023, he was notified by the Red Cross that his white blood cell counts were alarmingly low. Shortly after receiving this notification, he was diagnosed with leukemia, and was on the receiving end of platelet donations.

In a show of solidarity, family and friends have since rallied together to donate blood and platelets at an annual blood drive in his honor each year on May Fourth. This date was chosen because of Dangkhoa's longstanding love for Star Wars films, and many individuals attend the blood drives in costume and Star Wars paraphernalia. At the 2nd annual May the Fourth Be With Us Blood Drive – In honor of Dangkhoa Nguyen on Saturday, May 4, 2024, 39 units of red blood cells and 37 units of platelets including plasma were collected thanks to the generosity of Dangkhoa's family and friends. These donations will help offer hope and healing to hospital patients in need.

The Importance of Blood and Platelets for Cancer Patients

Cancer and cancer treatments can put patients at risk for low red blood cells and low platelet counts, known as thrombocytopenia. Blood and platelet transfusions are a critical part of cancer patients’ care. Some types of chemotherapy can damage bone marrow, which lowers the production of platelets. Cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma attack the bone marrow as well. A low platelet count can affect a patient's ability to produce healthy blood cells and even stop bleeding during surgical procedures. Critical treatments can be put on hold.

What Happens to Donated Blood Products

Donated blood journeys through many steps and tests that ensure our blood supply is as safe as possible and helps as many people as possible. This journey includes six steps – donation, processing, testing, storage, distribution and transfusion. During the testing phase, blood samples are tested in an FDA-licensed laboratory where trained technicians perform more than 12 different tests on samples from each and every unit of donated blood. Each unit of blood is screened for a number of infectious diseases, unexpected antibodies and a complete blood cell count (white cells, red cells and platelets). To learn more about the blood journey, click here.

How You Can Help

Every day, blood donors help patients of all ages: accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer. Schedule an appointment to donate blood or platelets by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800 RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).