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Friday, January 24, 2025AfiSectionindianapolisrecorder.comFOOD SAFETYPARTNERSHIPHave New Employees? Need Refresher Training?Starting a New Business? Questions About Licensing?FREE Food Safety TrainingFebruary 4, 2025 %u2022 8:30-10:30 a.m.4701 North Keystone Avenue, 1st FloorSPACE IS LIMITED! REGISTER TODAY ON EVENTBRITEBY SCANNING QR CODEhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/food-safety-training-new-business-interest-and-food-license-information-tickets-1090130342199?aff=erelexpmltOr call 317-221-2262 to register by phone.%uf0ccBy HANNA RAUWORTHhannar@indyrecorder.comLiving with sickle cell disease has been a lifelong challenge for Lena Harvey, 39. Blood transfusions have been critical in managing her condition, offering relief from debilitating pain and life-threatening complications. As a Versiti Beacon of Hope, Lena is determined to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation, particularly within the Black community.In this Q&A, Harvey sits down with the Indianapolis Recorder to share her experiences navigating sickle cell disease, her gratitude for blood donors and her mission to inspire others to join the cause for national blood donation month. Her journey highlights the urgent need for diverse blood donations and the resilience of those living with chronic illnesses.Please tell me about your journey with sickle cell and being a sickle cell warrior.Harvey: When it comes to living with sickle cell%u00a0and becoming a sickle cell warrior, it%u2019s all about resilience.%u00a0Imagine going through your life every day and having aspirations and wanting to%u00a0do the things that are perceived as normal.%u00a0Going to college, graduating, getting your first job, creating a%u00a0long-standing career for yourself. All those things are impacted by sickle cell disease on a daily basis. Constantly there%u2019s some sort of symptom%u00a0that pops up and interrupts your life.Over the years, I have had many a sickle cell%u00a0crisis where my body feels like it%u2019s being beat up from the very inside and from the bones out and it causes a lot of disruption and pain. It%u2019s very unpredictable, which means that not only do I have to be resilient, but I have to%u00a0constantly pick up the pieces of my life after a hospitalization or after a period%u00a0of being ill and having to isolate myself so that I can get better.So, I would say the main thing about being a warrior to me is going through the rigors%u00a0of a severe blood disorder and bouncing back, finding a way to lift yourself back up again, of course, with the help of many people. Not only the team of doctors, but home, family, caregivers, friends and supporters. It takes quite a village to support just one sickle cell%u00a0patient like myself.%u00a0Can you share your story of being a blood donor recipient?Harvey: Blood donation, to me, is the number one thing on my list that%u00a0we can do for one another as humans to show compassion and to actively help someone%u00a0who is in need of life-saving measures. As a sickle cell patient, there are times when I have had to have a blood transfusion%u00a0because my normal red blood cell levels have gotten so low that I have had trouble%u00a0with simple things like staying fully awake and alert.I remember the last time that I needed a blood transfusion. It was a couple of years ago and I had gotten really, really fatigued%u00a0and I was having quite a bit of pain. I was unable to do just normal, regular things around my house.I went in to see my doctors, and they determined that I definitely%u00a0needed a blood transfusion. The next step was, of course, waiting. You have to wait%u00a0for a blood match. You have to wait for the blood to be available and you have to wait for it to be%u00a0delivered. When you%u2019re watching your mom and your husband%u00a0sit at your bedside and wait and pray with you for essentially a life-saving blood donation, it feels scary. If I had not received that donation and several of the ones I%u2019ve received in the past, I do not see that my life would have progressed in a healthy way. I certainly would%u00a0have continued to deteriorate from the inside out.When the blood arrived, every single time I received%u00a0a blood donation, I have felt immensely blessed by a person, persons unknown to me. All I%u2019ve ever wanted to do was thank them.%u00a0How would you encourage someone to donate who may be apprehensive about the process?Harvey: Donating blood makes you an instant lifesaver. In real life,%u00a0not in a comic book, not in a movie, it makes you an actual real-life lifesaver.A lot of the times, because of the nature of blood donation, it makes you a lifesaver possibly up to three times with this one donation. I just want people to know, possible donors to know, that you will never feel as accomplished%u00a0and useful as you do once you donate blood and save a life and save three lives with just one%u00a0donation. I encourage people to consider that every single day, people are waiting%u00a0for a life-saving blood donation.How can people help beyond blood donation if they are unable to donate?Harvey: If you%u2019re truly unable to donate blood, make it personal. Find someone like me who has a need for blood donation or has a%u00a0current need for blood donation and introduce them to someone that you know can donate blood%u00a0and say, %u2018Will you please donate to my friend Lena for me since I cannot?%u2019 Whether it%u2019s blood donation%u00a0or something else, just pick something that you care about and be about that, you know?To schedule an appointment to donate blood with Versiti, call 317-916-5150 or visit versiti.org to find a donor center or community blood drive. Walkin donors are also accepted.This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights.%u00a0https://iaaqli.org/Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.The gift of blood: Saving lives, one donor at a timeLena Harvey struggles with sickle cell, a disease that requires blood transfusions and can be painful without them. (Photos/Lena Harvey)Take Action to Help Prevent Flu, Respiratory IllnessThe spread of respiratory viruses remains a top concern this time of year. The fl u virus can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening for anyone.The Marion County Public Health Department off ers these three steps for staying healthy during fl u season. Take time to get a fl u vaccine.It%u2019s not too late! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a yearly fl u vaccine as the fi rst and most important step in protecting against fl u viruses. While the vaccine is not 100 percent eff ective, a fl u shot can reduce the severity of symptoms and length of illness. Vaccination of high-risk persons is especially important to decrease their risk of severe fl u illness. People at high risk of serious fl u complications include young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, or heart and lung disease, and people 65 years and older.Children younger than 6 months are at high risk of serious fl u illness, but are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for infants should be vaccinated to help protect infants.Stop the spread of germs.Taking preventative actions every day can help reduce the chances of spreading the virus or other germs. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. And, when sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting themIf sick with fl u-like illness, CDC recommends staying home for at least 24 hours after a fever. Also, wash hands frequently with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. And, clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the fl u.Take fl u antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes themIf you get the fl u, antiviral drugs can be used to treat the illness. Antiviral drugs are diff erent from antibiotics. They are prescription medicines not available over-thecounter.Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They may also prevent serious fl u complications. For people with high-risk factors, treatment with an antiviral drug can mean the diff erence between having a milder illness versus a very serious illness that could result in a hospital stayStudies show that fl u antiviral drugs work best for treatment when starting treatment within two days of getting sick. Starting them later, however, can still be helpful, especially if the sick person has a high-risk health condition or is very sick from the fl u. Follow a doctor%u2019s instructions for taking this drugFlu-like symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuff y nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people also may have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the fl u and have respiratory symptoms without a fever.Never hesitate to visit a primary care physician, urgent medical care facility, or community health center if you have questions about an illness or fl u-like symptoms.Flu shots as well as COVID-19 vaccine and other immunizations are available through the Marion County Public Health Department. To learn more about the cost and clinic locations, please visit MarionHealth.org/immunize or call the Immunization Program at (317) 221-2122.