News Release June 15, 2009

Contact:
Julie Scott

303.361.2873
Bonfils Blood Center

Triathletes Pay Tribute to Heroic Donor

DENVER (June 15, 2009) – On June 21, 2009, Mike Sawyer, MD and Marty Harrison, friends since high school, will compete in a vigorous, daylong event of nonstop swimming, bike riding and running. By participating in the Ford Ironman triathlon in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, the pair will honor Harrison’s late father, Syd.  Syd Harrison, once a longtime blood donor, lost his battle with multiple myeloma in December 2008. 

Possessing the universal blood type, O-negative, Syd was able to save and improve the lives of thousands of patients over his 40-year blood donation career, including those of newborn infants. Inspired by Syd’s life-saving gifts and as a thank you to the 350 donors who gave blood to help Syd during his cancer treatment, Sawyer and Harrison hope to memorialize Syd that the Ford Ironman event this Father’s Day. Together, the pair raised more than $8,000 from friends and family in Syd’s honor, to benefit the life-saving and enhancing work of Bonfils Blood Center.

You too can support their efforts by making a financial contribution, which will be used to support vital areas such as community outreach, mobile blood drive programs and the Colorado Marrow Donor program.  For more information on donating blood or lending financial support to Bonfils Blood Center, please visit www.bonfils.org.

For more than 65 years, Bonfils Blood Center has supported the community blood supply and has played an instrumental role in the lives of patients in need throughout Colorado and beyond. Bonfils supplies blood and blood products to more than 100 hospitals and healthcare facilities. For more information about Bonfils Blood Center, please visit www.bonfils.org or call 303.341.4000.