To show their appreciation for local blood donors, a nearly five-year-old blood recipient, Foster Fyfe, and his mom, Trina, set out to Wrap It Up Red at the Prince George Canadian Blood Services office Wednesday morning.
Showing up bright eyed and full of energy, little Foster joyfully embraced the task of placing glossy red wrapping paper pretty much wherever he pleased.
The glass front door was the first thing to be encased in the shiny paper. Then Foster moved on to a chair and at last sighting was looking at a doughnut with a twinkle in his eye and a whole lot of wrapping paper in his eager hands.
Little Foster was born with Rh incompatibility and needed intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), which is a blood product that contains the pooled, polyvalent, IgG antibodies extracted from the blood of more than 1,000 donors.
"Having Rh blood incompatibility meant that there was a risk of brain damage to Foster," said Trina. "He required two of those treatments within four days of his birth."
Foster was jaundiced as a result and the transfusion helped to balance his blood levels out, added Trina.
Foster turns five on Sunday.
"It's my birthday in four days," said Foster, who's pretty excited by it all.
Because the condition was not anticipated before Foster's birth, it came as a shock and it was a pretty hard time, Trina said.
"I would like to say thank the donors so much," said Trina, who is the librarian for the Northern Medical program. "From my understanding it takes 1,000 donors to make just one treatment of IVIG and without those donors Foster wouldn't be the special little guy he is today, who is healthy and active - and eating a giant doughnut."
Trina is a champion for the Prince George Canadian Blood Services, which means she volunteers to recruit blood donors.
Just before the holidays seems to be a slow time for blood donations because it is such a busy time of year for people, but the need for blood is still just as great, so Trina asks people to please continue to donate throughout the holidays.
To book an appointment today, download the GiveBlood app, visit blood.ca or call 1-888-2- DONATE (1-888-236-6283).
