Platelet donor Steve Gisselbrecht (IMAGE)
Caption
Steve Gisselbrecht, a research specialist in the genetics division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is pictured donating platelets with technician Don Marks in accordance with the more inclusive blood donation process approved by the FDA and adopted at the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center on Oct. 6. Gisselbrecht, who hadn’t been permitted to donate blood products since high school, said “it hurt every time” he learned of an urgent need for blood but knew he would be disqualified from donating due to his sexual orientation. “Being first to donate [under the updated guidelines at the Kraft Center] wasn’t a goal. I just wanted to donate,” he said. “I would have been donating blood this whole time.”
Credit
Courtesy of Kraft Family Blood Donor Center
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