News Release May 24, 2005

Eight-year-old Boy to Meet Life-saving Blood Donors

For more information contact:
Julie Wedding 303.361.2873
Bonfils Blood Center

DENVER (May 24, 2005) - A precocious and now healthy eight-year-old boy, Cole Kucewesky, will get the chance to meet the people that helped save his life at Bonfils Blood Center’s annual Community Lifelines event. Six blood donors, the Kucewesky family, Cole’s doctor, Julie Zimbelman, and other Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center and Bonfils Blood Center employees who contributed to his care will gather Tuesday, May 24 in celebration of Cole’s good health. The event will begin at 2 p.m. in the Long’s Peak room of Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center.

Labor Day 2001, then five-year-old Cole was diagnosed with leukemia during a trip to the emergency room for general lethargy, low-grade fever and loss of appetite. Doctors said his blood count was so low that any injury could have resulted in death. During his cancer treatment at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center, Cole received six life-saving blood transfusions. One year later, the young boy suffered from a rare and still undetermined virus which depleted his blood count so severely that he needed four additional transfusions.

Cole’s mother, Cassandra Kucewesky, has been listed on the National Marrow Donor Registry for nearly seven years, but at the time of her son’s diagnosis, was not an eligible blood donor as she had gotten a tattoo within the last 12 months. Now, Cassandra is a devoted blood donor and has been for more than a year.

“Someone was there for my son when I, as his mother, couldn’t be,” Cassandra Kucewesky noted. “I was devastated that I couldn’t help. Our family is so appreciative for the ability to personally thank the people who helped save my son’s life. And I’m grateful I have the chance to help bring hope to other families like mine through blood donation.”

“Every day, hundreds of patients, like Cole, need blood transfusions to make them better,” said Jessica Maitland, senior vice president of community relations for Bonfils Blood Center. “Many people don’t realize that every two seconds someone in this country receives a transfusion of donated blood. This event helps us to educate the community about the constant need for blood whether for an elderly or child patient, for a regular treatment or an unexpected emergency.”

About Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center

Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center has met the healthcare needs of the Rocky Mountain residents since 1881. Today the facility offers several Advanced Centers including its Cancer Center, approved by the American College of Surgeons (ACoS) Commission on Cancer as a "Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program." The Medical Center also provides blood donor collection and transfusions services, helping people from all walks of life – from patients dealing with cancer or blood disorders to tiny, premature babies. Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center...Special care in the heart of Denver.

About Bonfils Blood Center

Bonfils Blood Center supplies blood to more than 115 healthcare facilities and needs to collect 4,350 blood donations weekly to meet the needs of the community and to be prepared for any unexpected events. For information about scheduling a blood donation, please visit www.bonfils.org or call (303) 363-2300 or (800) 365.0006 option 2.