Multiple Reasons to Donate Blood

Michael (Mike) Sveen has many special reasons to donate blood.

When he first started working for Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service, his driving partner was a regular donor. “He invited me to go with him to donate. However, my donation opportunities were sporadic due to a couple of needle sticks that occurred on the job, putting me out a full year from each stick,” Mike shares. He recalls delivering blood to trauma scenes. After seeing how important it was to have blood on hand and administered on site, he realized the need for replacement to the blood inventory. “You can help so many people with a unit of donated blood.”

Then, when his wife, Kathy, required blood following the delivery of their daughter, Hanna, at 32 weeks, it became all that much more important to donate blood for others in need.  (Kathy’s Story)

Mike’s family recently donated together while the kids were home from college this summer. Kathy even donated with them for the very first time. Both Hanna and Brady tease their dad that they are going to someday beat the number of donations he has contributed.

This August, Mike and Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service team took part in a friendly competition called the “Battle of the Badges” Blood Challenge. They made it a priority to donate, and encouraged others to participate as well. Their efforts were rewarded when they came in first place, securing bragging rights and making a critical difference in peoples’ lives.

Mike has participated in many department challenges within Mayo Clinic as well as donating at the Dover Eyota High school mobiles. Mike donates whole blood, platelets, and granulocytes whenever he can.   

Not many of us have as many reasons to donate as Mike does, but our donations are extremely important and needed. Whether you give altruistically, for the gifts, for the cookies, or for another reason, it really doesn’t matter. What matters is the fact that we need volunteers to step up to donate for our patients willingly and selflessly, for we never know when one of our loved ones may be on the receiving end of this precious blood.

To read more stories like this go to Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Program's Blog Page.

How to Donate
For more information about donating blood in Rochester, Minnesota, call (507) 284-4475 or email donateblood@mayo.edu. Or visit our webpage http://www.mayoclinic.org/donateblood.

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