How the Blood Bank matches blood with patients
Good Morning, I’m Debbie Cruz….it’s Friday, May 5th.
How the Blood Bank gets the right match.
More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….
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A 63-year-old woman died in the Santee jail this week.
Patricia Louise Adamson died at the Las Colinas Detention Facility on Wednesday.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department says that on the day of her death, a lieutenant did a well-being check and noticed she hadn’t been caring for herself or her hygiene.
Deputies and a department doctor wheeled her to a shower, when she began showing signs of medical distress.
Paramedics responded and began lifesaving measures, but she died shortly after.
The cause of her death is being investigated.
According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s website, Adamson’s death will be the fourth in-custody death this year.
Inmate deaths in San Diego County jails have been among the highest in the state, according to a state audit released last year.
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The cities of San Clemente, Encinitas, and Solana Beach are losing sand on their beaches due to erosion.
Yesterday, leaders from the three coastal cities each signed a 50- year contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to begin sand replenishment projects.
Sand is brought in from off shore by a dredge, and pumped onto the beach.
Representative Mike Levin helped expedite the projects, by securing funding through the bipartisan infrastructure law.
“One of my top priorities is ensuring that our beaches and infrastructure remain operational for years and decades to come. They’re critical lifelines for our communities.”
The work in Encinitas and Solana Beach is estimated to start this fall, and next February in San Clemente.
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More light rain is in store for the county this morning.
And temps will be in the 60s, so make sure to bring a sweatshirt or light jacket when you leave the house.
And rest assured, no rain is in this weekend’s forecast.
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Coming up, matching blood with patients in need.
“If she doesn’t have a matched donor then she can’t have the treatment that she needs to live.”
More on that, next.
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The San Diego Blood Bank is working to expand a program that better matches donated blood with patients in need.
Health reporter Matt Hoffman went to see how their process works, and the impact it’s already having.
Meet Kameela Saradpon.. I like to do the art at school we have paintings, clay we have a lot of fun stuff The third grader from National City is an adventurous and carefree 9-year-old who enjoys everything about living in San Diego. -- Her mom Maria and dad Kris have their hands full keeping up with her and her sister Makayla.. Lets having a skipping race now.. I win! I win! One of their favorite places to go is Seaport village--mom and dad talking Our girls love the carousel there we love to take in all the sunshine because of the sunshine tax -- we love to go to the beach like almost once a week when it’s sunny we’ll do a bonfire Nat of Kamila at the beach (from google drive folder the clip is total Kamila also enjoys spending time at home playing games with her mom, dad and sister --The game of life, monopoly, charades and some other stuff like that -- the card game! Taco cat goat cheese pizza Something that separates Kamila from other 9 year olds is the number of blood transfusions she’s had..Kamila I’ve had 154 -- no 155! Oh yeah She was born with the blood disorder thalassemia… It’s an inherited condition and results in fewer healthy red blood cells delivering oxygen. Ever since Kamila was two months old, she’s had to get regular blood transfusions at Rady’s Children’s hospital. Kamila At first it’s a little scary but after a while it becomes fun because then you get to know all the nurses and everyone there Those who are chronically transfused like Kamila depend on getting the right blood match. There’s so many different combinations with eight blood types 30 different blood groups and hundreds of so-called-antigens. -- If everything doesn’t match up-come transfusion time, patients can have reactions varying in severity. It’s called allo-immunization it recognizes foreign substances or something that’s typically not from you inside and so your blood and body start rejecting it Nikhil Nayak is the San Diego Blood Bank's Chief Business Officer.. He says that’s where precision blood comes in.. it’s a testing process the Blood Bank is expanding to try and get patients like Kamila the closest blood match possible. Her mom confirms the doctors are saying she’s starting to develop antibodies and the supply is starting to get a little squeezed in terms of who she can get blood from That’s why Kamila’s mom Maria says her daughter needs the closest blood match possible for every transfusion..It’s scary to think about if she’s going to be transfusion dependant her whole life -- and the donor pool is smaller -- if she doesn’t have a matched donor then she can’t have the treatment that she needs to live. So we’re grateful for the precision blood Right now the blood bank does around 15-thousand precise blood tests per year.. The process involves about nine hours of DNA sequencing. Nayak says more clinical trials are underway to bolster the case that precision better blood matching is better for patients. He says to increase the testing, more hospitals and blood centers will need to come on board.. The way blood typing has been done it’s bit antiquated The process of identifying good blood matches starts in the Blood Banks laboratory.. Here scientists are sequencing patient and donor blood --hoping to find the closest matches possible. Nayak says they rely on a diverse donor population.. At the end of the day precision blood works because if a blood donor looks more like the recipient genetically and often times that’s from your ethnic background, it’s more likely that the transfusion will be successful Hi joclyn, I’m Kamila nice to meet you I’d like to say thank you for donating blood today Kamila has become a sort of ambassador for the blood bank.. She enjoys thanking donors personally. Her parents call them superheros.I know for a lot of donors - you never get to see a face with a name or you dont know who it’s going to but you see this spunky little kid show up -- she looks healthy because of all those donors I win I win! Actually I think we tied let’s do it again Kamila is enjoying being a big sister – Okay that’s enough flowers makayla Look at all the cute white ones And Kamila has big plans for the future.. Her dad is a culinary instructor and she wants to follow in his footsteps. I kinda want to be a chef like daddy And she has a message for those watching – Please donate blood for me MH KPBS News.
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Representative Mike Levin and three other legislators held a field hearing yesterday in Oceanside.
Military and veterans affairs reporter Andrew Dyer has more.
Democratic Representative Mike Levin and other members of Congress held a House Veterans Affairs subcommittee hearing on veterans homelessness at Mira Costa College in Oceanside. Levin says despite rumblings of cuts to the VA in ongoing debt ceiling negotiations on the Hill, he thinks Congress will do what’s right for veterans. Rep. Mike Levin “We’re all going to together I think for our veterans when push comes to shove with whatever sort of negotiation there is it’s certainly the intent of every member of the House – if it’s not it better be – to stand up and fight for our veterans.” Levin says it’s important for members of Congress to hear directly from the veterans community. He says specific legislative moves, such as changing whether VA disability benefits count toward VA housing subsidies, could help a lot of veterans in high cost-of-living areas. In Oceanside, Andrew Dyer, KPBS News.
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The county and SANDAG are asking for the public’s input on a new report that deals with alternatives to incarceration.
Reporter John Carroll says the report was two years in the making.
The report contains 52 recommendations, or goals for how the local justice system can be changed. “what we’re trying to do is implement the practices that have been proven in other municipalities…” That's the ceo of san diego second chance, bill payne. he was a member of the advisory board that crafted the goals. they include increasing the array of housing options for people who've had contact with the justice system, and looking at additional booking alternatives that increase connection to services and resources. a town hall for the public to give their thoughts will be held this monday at the county administration building. it will begin at 4 p-m in room 302. the board of supervisors will make the final decision on the report at their may 23rd meeting. jc, kpbs news.
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Coming up.... Need plans for the weekend? Lucky for you, we have some suggestions. We’ll have that and more, just after the break.
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The weather has done wonders for wildflowers, but what about our local flower farms?
To find out, reporter Kitty Alvarado visited the wholesale flower market in Carlsbad… where they’re gearing up for mother’s day.
The International Floral Trade Center in Carlsbad is buzzing with activity … florists are stocking up for the big day at the wholesale flower market Mother’s Day is very busy crazy according to the National Retail Federation, people in the US will spend $3.2 billion on flowers alone … Arturo Mendoza – better known as Pepe – the owner of Pepe’s flowers says he sells ten times more … Getting ready for Mother’s Day and getting ready for Mexican Mother’s Day and American Mother’s Day While the heavy rains have every hillside blooming it damaged or delayed some local farms’ flowers … and that is contributing to higher prices this year I’m finding the flowers I’m buying here today are a good $3 more a bunch than the last time I was here But that won’t stop Abby Olivas Twist from buying blooms for her madrecita … she will celebrate Mother’s Day twice … Celebramos Dia De Las Madres on May 10th for my mom we are Mexican le llevamos flores estamost alli con ella le llevamos dinner … and then Sunday comes around American Mother’s DAY and we do it all over again Kitty Alvarado KPBS News.
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Looking for something fun to do this weekend?
Arts Producer Julia Dixon Evans has some suggestions for you.
She joined my colleague Maureen Cavanaugh with the details… and she started by talking about a Shakespeare ballet production happening this weekend.
There's a new exhibit at the Museum of Photographic Arts, featuring the work of a pioneering woman photographer, Julia Margaret Cameron. Who was she?
On Sunday at the Oceanside Museum of Art, we can participate in making a collective pride flag out of yarn pom poms — and museum admission is free all day. Tell us more!
Let's do some music… Latin jazz artists Magos Herrera & Brooklyn Rider are coming to the La Jolla Music Society on Saturday.
TAG: That was KPBS Arts producer and editor, Julia Dixon Evans, speaking with KPBS Midday Edition host, Maureen Cavanaugh.
The coronation of Charles the 3rd is also this weekend.
If you too, have coronation fever… the House of England in Balboa Park would like you to join them tomorrow, for a celebration on the central lawn of the International Cottages.
Festivities begin at 1:30 pm, and will include bagpipers, a corgi parade, a brass band, dancers and more.
Specialty foods will also be available for purchase, including coronation chicken, the same style served at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation banquet in 19-53.
It’s blooming fun for all ages, and admission is free.
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That’s it for the podcast today. This podcast is produced by KPBS Senior Producer Brooke Ruth and Producer Emilyn Mohebbi. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. Join us on Monday for your local news, and, to hear about a local couple who’s training foxes for search and rescue work. I’m Debbie Cruz. Thanks for listening and have a great weekend.
