Man With Epilepsy Donates 200 Units of Blood Platelets

By Sylvia Blair
Special to EpilepsyUSA
Posted: May 1, 2001

When Dick Beam first tried to donate blood about ten years ago, he was rejected as a donor because he had epilepsy. But that didn't stop this determined 66-year old Fort Wayne, Ind., man. Thanks to a change in Red Cross policy during the early 1990's, Beam proudly celebrated his 200th platelet donation this summer and has befriended a child whose life he helped save in the process.

For decades, the Red Cross did not allow people with epilepsy to donate blood for fear of adverse reactions. However, about twelve years ago, Allan Krumholz, M.D., a member of the Epilepsy Foundation's Professional Advisory Board, and his colleagues decided to find out whether donating blood really did increase the risk of seizures in people with epilepsy.

"The studies done by Dr. Krumholz showed that it is perfectly safe for people with epilepsy to donate," said Joan Gibble, M.D., medical director at Greater Chesapeake Potomac American Red Cross, the first blood region nationwide to change its policy.

Current Red Cross donor criteria state that a donor with a history of epilepsy must be seizure-free for a period of three months, either on prescribed medication or not on medication.

"It seems to be working well. The donors with epilepsy and the Red Cross are mutually happy," Gibble said. Beam couldn't be happier himself. As soon as he was accepted, he began an aggressive donation campaign, which now averages about two visits per month.

Beam is actually a platelet donor rather than a whole-blood donor. Each time he donates, needles are placed in both of his arms to connect him to a pheresis machine, which centrifuges platelets from his blood and collects them in pouches. The process takes about two hours.

His platelets are later matched with recipients whose platelet counts are low. Low platelets can cause internal bleeding or other problems. Beam's high range of platelets allows him to donate enough for two recipients at a time.

Beam has never experienced an adverse reaction or a seizure since he started giving blood in 1991. "I want to show others that people with epilepsy can help society in a responsible, dedicated way," Beam said. Since retiring from ITT as a program systems analyst, he has plenty of time to volunteer. "Just because I have epilepsy doesn't mean I am not healthy."

While Beam gives the "gift of life" to others, he feels the greatest gift he has ever received was the chance to meet a recipient. A local television station doing a story on blood donation introduced Beam to a toddler who was saved by Beam's donation. Nicholas Ackerman was born with no arms, lacking the necessary bone marrow to manufacture the platelets his body needed. His platelet count was so low that it threatened his life. A match with Beam's platelets thankfully resolved the problem.

"I was teary-eyed when I met Nicholas. The family is so grateful," Beam said. "They send me cards during the holidays and boxes of oranges from their Florida winter vacation. It is a miracle that I was able to help someone like this."