Charles “Chuck” Buchanan, 78, walks into the Blood Donor Center at MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach, where the care team greets him by name and proceeds to check him in.

Chuck is considered a champion for blood donation since the 1980s — nearly 35 years. He began donating blood after his 4-year-old nephew was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It was then that he learned the impact of blood donation.

Chuck began donating at Miller Children’s & Women’s in 2004. Since then, he has become a regular donor, donating platelets about every two weeks.

“Helping others and doing good makes me happy,” says Chuck. “Knowing that the simple act of donating blood or platelets can help save someone’s life — or even someone’s child — is what keeps me coming back.”

Platelets are tiny cells in your blood that form clots and stop bleeding. For example, when you get cut, it’s platelets that bind to the site of the damaged vessel, causing a clot to stop you from bleeding.

Platelets are critical for cancer patients who often lack platelets due to cancer or as a side effect of their treatment. Platelets also are very important for patients who need surgery, which may include trauma patients or planned surgery patients. Patients’ lives depend on platelets.

“The challenge with platelets is that they are in constant demand,” says Emmanuel T. Ferro, M.D., medical director, clinical pathology, Blood Bank, Miller Children’s & Women’s and Long Beach Medical Center. “Plus, platelets must be used within five days, so new donors are needed every day. A single platelet donation can help save the lives of as many as three children.”

“Our team, our patients and our community are grateful for all of our donors, especially our regular donors like Chuck,” says Dr. Ferro. “Many people, and many people’s loved ones are alive thanks in part to donors like Chuck.”

According to Chuck, to make a difference in the lives of others all you really need is a little time and a big heart.

“If you’ve been considering blood or platelet donation, don’t give it a second thought,” says Chuck. “Just do it. The time it takes for you to make an appointment, walk in the door and relax in a seat for an hour or two could make a difference for someone in need of life-saving blood or platelets.”

To schedule an appointment to donate blood or platelets, call the Blood Donor Center at 562.933.0808 or visit memorialcare.org/LBBloodDonation.