Health, News

Gay Activists Fight the Squick Factor in Blood-Donation Ban

Last June, the American Medical Association turned up the heat by voting to oppose the lifetime ban, saying gay men could be treated like other high-risk groups. That development was followed by a nationwide protest last week, as gay men volunteered to visit blood donation centers and go through the humiliating process of being publicly told they couldn’t donate. Continue reading Gay Activists Fight the Squick Factor in Blood-Donation Ban

Health, News

It’s For the Kids! Children’s Seattle Gets $65 Million in Gifts

The news broke on Halloween (no, not the costume-tantrums post) that Seattle Children’s Hospital had pulled off one of the largest trick-or-treats ever. The hospital announced that it had received two gifts totaling $65 million. One, from an anonymous donor, was for $50 million from an estate, to support pediatric research at Seattle Children’s Research Institute.

Another $15 million came from Mrs. Jean Reid of Bellevue, causing us to take back all the unkind things we’ve ever said about the Eastside. Continue reading It’s For the Kids! Children’s Seattle Gets $65 Million in Gifts

Health, News, Politics

How Long Until Gay People Can Give Blood?

Blood donation comes with a ticking sound, a count of the roughly 42 days that whole blood can be banked before it’s no longer usable. Blood banks and hospitals are daily involved in a complex dance to move blood to where it’s needed.

If you are gay, of course, you can pay no attention to donating life-saving blood. Currently there’s a lifetime “deferral” for men who have at any time since 1977 had sex with other men. This is an FDA policy, nothing to do with your local blood bank. Continue reading How Long Until Gay People Can Give Blood?

Business, News

The GiveBIG Experiment Goes Live–But Will It Go Really Big?

Former Seattle mayor Norm Rice, the foundation’s president and CEO, captures the good intentions behind the effort: “GiveBIG provides an opportunity to see how much good we can do as a community, working together.” Updates will be announced throughout the day on the Seattle Foundation’s Facebook page.

The Seattle Foundation has already had to add server capacity this morning, passing the $1 million mark by 10:16 a.m. Continue reading The GiveBIG Experiment Goes Live–But Will It Go Really Big?