First National Campaign Highlighting Children's Blood Needs

Kids who have received life-saving blood transfusions are the focus of a new national blood donor recruitment effort debuting this fall. The campaign will bring national attention to the growing need for committed blood donors as blood donations decline and transfusion rates steadily climb.

"Pints for Half Pints: Giving Kids Another Chance" will put a young face on the need for blood donation. Of the 69 million children in the United States, hundreds of thousands suffer from various forms of leukemia, sickle cell, need transplants and are born prematurely. More than 3,000 cases of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are diagnosed in children under 15 each year. These young patients require life-saving blood components such as red blood cells (to prevent anemia) and platelets (to help their blood clot and prevent internal bleeding).

"Many of these kids today run, skip, and play because they got another chance at life. In most cases, this would not be possible without the generosity of volunteer blood donors," said Celso Bianco, M.D., President, America’s Blood Centers and Vice President, Medical Affairs, New York Blood Center.

"We wanted to focus on children because they are not old enough to donate blood themselves, but their lives often depend upon blood being on the shelf when it is needed. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that blood makes such an important difference in a child’s life," he added.

"The stress on the blood supply system is increasing," Dr. Bianco said. "We are hoping to educate and cultivate a younger, healthy generation of blood donors to replace those who will soon no longer be able to donate," Dr. Bianco said. "This new generation of donors (people in their late teens and 20's) is the key to our blood supply today and tomorrow. We believe they will fully understand the reasoning behind ‘Pints for Half Pints’ and begin a life-long commitment to blood donation."

The "Pints for Half Pints: Giving Kids Another Chance" campaign is the first national blood donor recruitment program sponsored by ABC and its Foundation. Corporate sponsors of the program include the Adam’s Mark of Orlando, Baxter-Fenwal Division, Famous Artists, Kendro Laboratories and Sea World Adventure Park Orlando. Other organizations supporting the campaign include the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the Children’s Rights Council, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Women, Infant and Child Directors, and the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association.

The kick-off event was held in Orlando at SeaWorld Adventure Park on Thursday, October 14, 1999, unveiling the "Pints for Half Pints" Year 2000 calendar. The 52-week calendar features pictures of children who were selected by ABC members to represent their communities. Katy Hubbell of Fisher, Illinois represented Community Blood Services of Illinois. A short story about each child’s condition and need for blood accompanies each picture. The calendars will be used to raise awareness about the need for blood donations.