Charlotte Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 Robert Bevan from Bocas needs several units of O negative or O positive blood at Mae Lewis Hospital. If you can donate, please contact his wife, Ursula Bevan, @ 6454-2735 or Toby Braxton 6617-8629 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Shane Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 Very much appreciate your rapid resourceful response. Will keep you posted re Bevan's status. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 I just now chatted with Ursula Bevan to see if the doctors have relaxed the restrictions as to donor age and travel outside of Panama. She indicated that the doctors have waived those constraints, but that the laboratory will not relax the restrictions. Unread Content Blood is still needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted March 30, 2018 Author Share Posted March 30, 2018 I am finding recently, this is the new norm. The labs are sticking to the Panamanian law/guidelines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Shane Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 (edited) Update, Fri noon: Bob Bevan’s medical condition is worsening today. He’s not critical, but needs surgery urgently. We have collected 3 of the 6 units of blood needed for surgery at Hospital Mae Lewis in David . We need your aid to be/find blood type O/O+ donors. Read “Donor Criteria” at https://boquetehealth.org/ . To help, contact wife Ursula at 6454 2735. Thanks for caring. Edited March 30, 2018 by Larry Shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 7 hours ago, Bud said: I just now chatted with Ursula Bevan to see if the doctors have relaxed the restrictions as to donor age and travel outside of Panama. She indicated that the doctors have waived those constraints, but that the laboratory will not relax the restrictions. Unread Content Blood is still needed. This is very peculiar. Based on my blood type, I was contacted by Hospice several years ago to give blood. I was well over 65 at the time but was told that the doctors had waived the restrictions because it was an emergency. I was ushered right in to the lab in Hospital Chiriqui. If the doctor okays the donation, why should the labs care? This is preposterous. I plan to raise the issue of blood donation every time I visit a doctor. If a change comes about, it will come because of vigorous lobbying the doctors, in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palo Alto Jo Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 14 hours ago, Bonnie said: This is very peculiar. Based on my blood type, I was contacted by Hospice several years ago to give blood. I was well over 65 at the time but was told that the doctors had waived the restrictions because it was an emergency. I was ushered right in to the lab in Hospital Chiriqui. If the doctor okays the donation, why should the labs care? This is preposterous. I plan to raise the issue of blood donation every time I visit a doctor. If a change comes about, it will come because of vigorous lobbying the doctors, in my opinion. I agree Bonnie. I will join your crusade, and I continue to talk to lots of doctors. In your arguments please add that it is easier to start in Chiriqui, get the kinks out, before unifying it with a countrywide system. It could be perfected here, lessons learned, before implementation in Panama City. I know several people with PhDs in Blood Banking in the States , I'm sure we could get one here to give us some help and supply valuable information, especially a retired one, or one from a charitable-minded organization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Woolford Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 (edited) There is a wealth of information available about Blood Banks in Panama worth looking at, imo, but Charlotte, understandably, doesn't want it in this discussion. Edited March 31, 2018 by Keith Woolford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Moderator_02 Posted March 31, 2018 Moderators Share Posted March 31, 2018 34 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said: There is a wealth of information available about Blood Banks in Panama worth looking at, imo, but Charlotte, understandably, doesn't want it in this discussion. Agree that a general discussion topic about blood banks in Panama would not be appropriate in this topic about a specific need. However, anyone is free to start such a topic, and we believe it would be of benefit, if only to raise awareness of the status of blood banks in Panama. Who knows, perhaps some action toward improvements in blood banks could result from such a discussion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted March 31, 2018 Author Share Posted March 31, 2018 I would absolutely love it if Panama used the guidelines of other international organizations like WHO or International Red Cross. The only blood banks are in government hospitals like Oblata & Regional. The blood drive articles appear (with my Spanish) to be for the Maternal Infant Hospital. They have limited supplies, but do not loan or give to other hospitals. Regional, to keep a supply, has everyone having any surgery donate a unit of blood, and blood must be replaced if you use any. They do not loan or give to other hospitals. (But recently, a patient got one from them!). But as far as blood banks, like the US & Canada, Panama does not have. Irma, of Keep it Simple Panama has been a great help in aquiring some donors, and navigating the system recently in Regional Hospital and the private hospitals. I think talking to your doctors is great! This might be a campaign we can do, to push change. I’m thinking if the doctors find out the labs are over-riding them because of current, outdated law, and their patients are not getting what they need, they may push back. I will bring this up with Hospice, and see if we can develop a campaign. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Shane Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Update, Sat 2pm: Bob Bevan’s med condition is not good but stable. He’s well enough to hold on for surgery likely soon, since now — we have collected the needed blood, thanks to the kindness of the Chiriqui community and support from Bocas folks. Wife Ursula especially appreciates you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Shane Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Update, Sun 3pm: Bob Bevan had surgery last night, he is in ICU expecting full recovery soon. Unless there is a different prognosis, this is my last update. Thanks to all who helped! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 Great! Thanks to all who donated, and wanted to donate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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