WILMINGTON MAN TO BE INDUCTED INTO WORLDWIDE BLOOD DONATION HALL OF FAME
Joe McDonough gets prestigious honor after turning a tragic loss into a mission to help others
NEWARK, DE - Joe McDonough of Wilmington, Delaware (photo attached) will become one of only thirteen people in the world to get inducted into the 2011 Fenwal Blood Donation Hall of Fame. Inductees, who span the globe from Canada to China, were chosen based on their demonstrated commitment and passion to donating blood. A brief induction presentation for Joe will take place at the Blood Bank of Delmarva's Christiana Center (100 Hygeia Drive, Newark, DE 19713) on Monday, November 21 at 11:30am while he makes a platelet donation.
Although Joe McDonough has always been a blood donor, his lifelong mission to help others reached new heights after he lost his 14-year-old son, Andrew, to leukemia in 2007. Throughout Andrew's battle with the disease, Joe says blood and platelet transfusions prolonged his son's life and helped him through brain surgery and multiple life-threatening infections. In fact, less than two weeks after Andrew's death, Joe visited Blood Bank of Delmarva to donate blood and thank donors.
"People were surprised that I would thank them," says Joe. "I wanted to let them know that blood donors gave a precious gift to Andrew and our family. Their donations helped him be more comfortable - and to be with us longer. We're extremely grateful for that."
Blood Bank staff members vividly remember how much of an impact Joe had on the donors.
"He walked around the Donor Room telling people about Andrew and thanking donors for giving his family more time with his son. It was very moving," said Margaret Hannan, Blood Bank Senior Manager of Blood Collection. "All of the donors were brought to tears."
Since Andrew's death, Joe and his wife and daughter formed The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation (www.BePositive.org) which provides financial support to families of children with cancer. The foundation name was inspired by Andrew's positive outlook and his blood type.
Joe now donates platelets several times a year and helps raise awareness for the ongoing need for blood products.
Only three Blood Bank of Delmarva donors have been chosen for this Hall of Fame honor in the thirteen-year history of the program. To see all thirteen 2011 Fenwal Donation Hall of Fame inductees, visit http://www.fenwalinc.com/Pages/DonationHallOfFame.aspx.
