HIDDEN DIABETES REVEALED BY BLOOD BANK SCREENING
Don Lewis of Wilmington, DE donated blood on December 15, 2007 just like he had done for years. But this time he was offered free diabetes screening with his blood donation. Blood Bank of Delmarva had recently become the first blood center in the country to begin screening for the disease. Don agreed to be screened even though he didn't think he was at risk.
"Boy was I wrong. Blood Bank staff called me at home the next day and told me my blood glucose level was 530, which falls in the critical range," Don said. "To be that high is scary. I had no recognizable symptoms."
Don immediately went to his doctor for blood work and was diagnosed as a type two diabetic. Since his diagnosis, he has changed his diet drastically and takes medication to control the disease.
"I feel lucky that the Blood Bank was able to catch the diabetes before it caused any other serious health problems," Don said. "I was the blood donor who helped save lives, but ironically, the Blood Bank may have saved mine."
PICTURED: Blood Bank's new diabetes screening equipment.
