JAY'S STORY

Two weeks after Jay had undergone surgery for prostate cancer last June, he suffered a reaction that caused him to pass out. He hit his head so hard on the tile floor that he not only fractured his skull, he also severed an artery to his brain. Fortunately, Jay was across the road from Sacred Heart Medical Center, where he was rushed into emergency surgery for an epidural hematoma. He had a second surgery the next morning to repair a subdural hematoma. During these surgeries, he received three units of red blood cells.

Although he has suffered a slight hearing loss in one ear, and has an indentation in his skull to remind him of his accident, Jay has made a good recovery. He is an active member of the American Cancer Society's Eugene/Springfield Relay for Life organizing committee. He also plans to donate blood again, something he has done in the past.

"Blood donors are true lifesavers," he says. "I'm glad that blood was available when I needed it."