PATRICK'S PEOPLE: Ranea and Beth are in a labor of love

Not many people can claim they save lives every day as a routine part of their job, but Ranea Underwood and Beth Nichols can.

Employees of the American Red Cross, they were in Pittsburg Wednesday to conduct a blood drive  at TFI Family Services, Inc.  Underwood is  a collection specialist II, and Nichols is a technician II.

“We’re saving three lives every time we take a unit of blood,” Nichols said.  That’s because the whole blood collected can be processed into components — red blood cells, plasma and platelets — which can then be used to aid three different persons.

She previously had a factory job building boats for 15  years.

“I worked for Cobalt Boats, but factories aren’t doing so well now,” Nichols said. “I’ve been with the Red Cross  since  February.”

There’s nothing wrong with building boats, but her current job offers more emotional satisfaction.

“Knowing I could be saving another human being’s life is awesome,” Nichols said.

A  veteran, she served  her country in  the U.S. Navy and in the Kansas Army National Guard for 16  years.

While many people are familiar with the bloodmobile coming to conduct community-wide blood drives, others are not aware  that the Red Cross will  also do smaller blood-collection events.

“We have a two-bed set-up called the express unit for a smaller number of donors, 12 to 16 or 18, then buses that are called coaches for up to 25,” Underwood said. “The mobiles are the largest vehicles and they’re used for the community drives.”

She said that a lot of businesses will have blood drives open to employees.

“We do quite a few of these in Pittsburg, and  would be happy to  do more,” Underwood said. “We can come in about  every 56 days or  so, to make sure the people have replenished their  blood supply and are able to donate again.”

All that’s required, she said, is a room of adequate size and no stairs, unless lifters can be provided to carry equipment upstairs.

“Anyone who wants to arrange to  have a blood drive can go to americanredcross.org,” Underwood said.

Jill Slates, TFI resource family supervisor, said that she served as the contact person for the drive, the first ever for the Pittsburg TFI office.

“Debbie Cox of Chanute organized the blood drives in southeast Kansas,” Slates said.

She said that Pamela Anderson of the Chanute TFI office brought the idea of a blood drive to the table. Chanute’s drive was held on Monday, and went well.

“We had a very nice visit in Chanute, and really enjoyed the people there,” Underwood said.

The Pittsburg drive was also a success.

“Most people were excited, and if  they weren’t scared  or they couldn’t give blood, they signed up to donate,” Slates said. “We had 14 sign up from this office. We hope to do other blood drives and possibly open them up to foster parents, friends and relatives.”

One TFI employee, Toni Sprenkle, said she hadn’t given blood in many years.

“I tried to after the Joplin tornado, but the line was so long that by the time we got  up there,  they had stopped,” she  said. “My kids were able to go back, but I wasn’t. I used to give plasma regularly, monthly. When they asked me if I’d give blood now,  I said yes.”

Monica Broadwell was more apprehensive, but determined to  face her fear and give blood for a very personal reason. Her brother, Jeremiah Broadwell, died in August, 2009, from injuries he suffered in a car accident.

“He was in the hospital for days and there were people who gave blood that kept him alive during those days,” she said.

Blood transfusions helped Underwood get through a medical ordeal.

“In 2005 I had major surgery and I was given 17 units of blood products,” she said. “The body only holds 10 to 12 pints of blood, so I had a complete blood change, and also a change of heart.”

Underwood had  been a respiratory therapist, but chose to pursue a career in American Red Cross blood services instead.

“I was so grateful to  the Red Cross for having the blood I needed, and so grateful to the donors who gave it,” she said. “Somebody donated blood out of  the goodness of their  heart, and didn’t even know who it was going to. This  is a labor of love for me.”