Corewell Health Children’s Hospital goes GOLD for childhood cancer

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Corewell Health Children’s is going gold.

It typically takes more than 500 units of packed red blood cells and 100 units of platelets to support the children receiving chemotherapy each year at Corewell health Children’s in Royal Oak. This year it’s on track to exceed those numbers.

“Blood donations are essential for our children battling cancer, as the treatments and disease itself can put patients at risk for low red blood cell and platelet counts,” says Kate Gowans, M.D., the chief of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at Corewell Health Children’s in Royal Oak. “With Michigan’s critical blood shortage in mind, we, in partnership with Versiti Blood Center of Michigan, decided to host a blood drive to honor Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.”

Officials are inviting the public to donate blood at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak:

Wednesday, Sept. 4

3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

10th floor of the Central Tower, Classroom A & B

Wednesday, Sept. 25

7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Administration Building, West Classroom 1

Here’s how to sign up for the blood drives:

September 4: https://donate.michigan.versiti.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/156484

September 25: https://donate.michigan.versiti.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/156460

Here are some of the ways the hospital campus is “going gold” this September:

• Placement of more than 500 gold ribbons on trees and yard signs at Corewell Health Children’s locations in Royal Oak, Troy and Dearborn, as well as Woodward Corners.
• Gold superhero capes and “Go GOLD” T-shirts will be given to current pediatric oncology patients.
• Golden photo booth in the Pediatric Oncology office where patients, families and staff can take photos to share and raise awareness on social media with the #CorewellHealthGoesGold.
• Hospital signage at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital on 13 Mile Road is lighting up GOLD.

Some things you can do this month to help kids with cancer by raising awareness is:

• Wearing gold and telling people why.
• Go gold on social media. Post a photo wearing your gold and use the (#COREWELLHEALTHGOESGOLD)
• Donate to an organization that supports childhood cancer research like the Children’s Miracle Network.
• Give blood at one of Corewell Health’s upcoming blood drives listed above.

After accidents, cancer is the 2nd leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 14.