Hank Klehm was used to being supported by fans as they cheered him on the football field. He did not know in August of 2004 he would receive the support of his family, friends and community for a very different reason. When Hank’s usual active lifestyle became stifled due to bouts of fatigue and weakness, he and his family became concerned.

Hank’s summer activities that year included white water rafting, climbing the Grand Teton Mountains, Golf camp at Duke University, and mountain biking in the Adirondacks. When he started high school, he was the first freshman to reach the top of the school climbing wall. It seemed that his health was improving; that would change after the second week of football practice.

One Tuesday night after the usual intense running and drills of practice, Hank came home exhausted and experiencing flu-like symptoms. By Thursday of that week his gums began pooling with blood.Concerned for his health, Hank’s mother Sheila called their family doctor and described his symptoms; the doctor attributed Hank’s issues to the physical strains of a rough football practice. When Hank’s condition didn’t improve, and after exploring several causes ranging from being overworked to a spider bite reaction, Sheila decided to get a second opinion.

On the advice of another doctor, Sheila took her son to Morristown Memorial Hospital. After conducting numerous blood tests and examinations, doctors identified his illness as Acute Myologenous Leukemia or AML. Hank was in critical condition and would need immediate emergency care to save his life.

AML is the most common type of leukemia affecting close to 12,000 new patients every year in the United States. It is a fast growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow and leaves patients feeling generally ill and run down. With AML normal blood cells and bone marrow are replaced by leukemic cells which results in a drop of platelets and red blood cells. Blood transfusions, along with the love and support of the people around him, were to become Hank’s lifeline.

Hank was rushed to the emergency room where doctors began working diligently to save his life and heal his condition. Hank received his first blood transfusion that day; it would be the first of many. “This was a life or death situation” Sheila said. “My friends and our community rallied to the cause, holding and organizing blood drives and creating donor lists for future transfusion needs”

Hank began Chemotherapy treatments shortly after his diagnosis. Unfortunately, he again became ill and was in critical condition. His liver and lungs began to fail, and his father and mother stayed by his side nearly 24/7 to support him.

Hank spent 90 percent of the days from September through December in the hospital. He underwent five rounds of chemotherapy, received several surgeries, and needed nearly 100 blood and platelet transfusions.

In May of 2005, Hank’s AML went into remission. He and his family greatly appreciate and feel a strong connection to the blood donors who saved Hank’s life. “One thing is for sure,” Hank said, “I now have many more blood relatives. When a donor gives blood, that gift lasts for a lifetime.”

Hank has been healthy throughout the school year and has renewed his adventurous lifestyle, enrolling in Ski Patrol EMT training so that he “could help give back some of what people have given to him.”

Platelets are special blood cells that assist with the blood’s clotting system. Some cancer treatments result in the loss of platelets. Many leukemia patients like Hank need daily platelet transfusions to avoid life-threatening hemorrhages. To learn more about blood platelet donation, please call us at 1-800-GIVE LIFE and choose option 3.

The American Red Cross is the main blood supply source for more than 125 hospitals in New Jersey and Southeastern Pennsylvania. These hospitals need an average of 2,000 blood products each day for surgeries, emergency care, and to support livesaving treatments for cancer patients such as Hank. To ensure that blood is always available for people in need, the American Red Cross stresses the importance of making regular blood donations a part of your life.