Part 3, Blood Bank Policy

As I left the Piedmont Blood Center on Main Street, I enjoyed that self-satisfied, yes, even smug feeling that I had done my civic duty!  I dropped into the Center at my convenience and, in less than an hour, was in and out.   I think everyone who can safely give blood, should.   It saves lives and for most people, it’s an easy way to help others.   
The Food and Drug Adminsitration (FDA) blood donation policy denies gay and bisexual men this opportunity to help others and contribute to the common good.    If medical science hadn’t advanced since the 1980’s, this would be a necessary ban, along with similar bans against Haitians and Africans and, in Washington DC, all African American women (this group now has a frighteningly high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS).  Of these, only people from a few African countries are banned from donating.  Of course, medical science has advanced since then.  In fact, 

The Medicine Association of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (HIVMA)
The American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)
America’s Blood Centers (ABC)
and the American Red Cross (ARC)
have all been calling for the ban’s revision since 1997—that’s 12 years!

In March 2006, the FDA held a workshop on this issue.  Dr. Steven Kleinman, Senior Medical Advisor for the American Red Cross, stated then that “current duplicate testing using NAT and serologic methods allow detection of HIV- infected donors between 10 and 21 days after exposure. .. It does not appear rational to broadly differentiate sexual transmission via male-to-male sexual activity from that via heterosexual activity on scientific grounds...  To many, this differentiation is unfair and discriminatory.”    Yet, the FDA, ignored the recommendations of all four professional groups and took no action to revise the ban.
So, why is there a ban against gay men donating blood?
 What do you think?

Part 2. FDA Policy on Blood Bank Donors exclusions is outdated

What organizations in the US are most knowledgeable and concerned about preventing HIV/AIDS?  The Medicine Association (HIVMA) of the Infectious Diseases Society of America would be at the top of the list.  It  represents over 2,600 physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who practice on the frontline of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
HIVMA explains that all blood donations today are tested with the Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAT) for HIV.  The NAT detects HIV beginning 11 days after a person has contracted it.   In 2004 HIVMA stated that “the accuracy and reliability of the NAT …call for significant revisions to the current donor screening guidelines. It is discriminatory and unnecessary to continue to exclude any man who has had sex with another man since 1977 from donating blood.”
 HIVMA recommends that the blood donor screening procedures be revised to ask all potential donors to exclude themselves if they have recently engaged in unprotected sex with a partner of unknown HIV status or used a syringe not prescribed by a physician to take drugs or steroids.   To err on the side of caution, HIVMA states, “recently” might be defined as the previous six months.  … Why is the ban still in place?  More next week …     *HIVMA’s full statement at  http://www.hivma.org/Content.aspx?id=2788

Social Concerns Meeting Tuesday Dec. 1, 7:00

Interim minister Don Rollins will lead a special workshop on a new model for Social Justice activities in a congregation, a model with the power to increase congregational involvement and commitment to issues.   Please attend if you are a committee member or interested in being a committee member.

FDA Blood Donation Policy Information

The Social Concerns committee will be submitting a weekly paragraph to the bulletin & happenings to educate the congregation on this topic.   Here is No. 1:
Did you know that well over 10% of men are banned for life from donating blood?   In the 1980’s, when HIV/AIDs first became a problem, the FDA banned Haitians, intravenous drug users, and men who had had sex with another man from donating blood.   However, the ability to detect HIV in blood donations has become very good.  In 1990, Haitians protested their blanket exclusion from blood donations as racism, and Haitians were taken off this list.  However, all men who have had sex with another man (even once) since 1977 are still banned for life from donating blood.  Is that necessary for the safety of our blood supply?   Since 1997, AABB (the American Association of Blood Banks) has advocated that this lifetime ban should be lifted.    For more info, see  http://www.aabb.org/Content/Members_Area/Members_Area_Regulatory/Donor_Suitability/bpacdefernat030906.htm                 …Why is the ban still in place?  More next week …

Social Concerns Minutes October 28, 2009

October Meeting Minutes             

Attendance is listed at the end. 
We briefly reviewed October activities and November plans:
*Wed. Oct. 21st. Love, Knit & Crochet had its second meeting.  We are knitting/crocheting scarves for the homeless from now till Christmas, meeting on the third Wednesdayat 6:30.   We hope more will join us.
*Oct. 1st  & 3rd.  SPIHN (Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network):  The Diane Dixon Covenant Group prepared dinner for six guests at Fernwood Baptist Church, and Launa Blackburn and her brother were overnight hosts at Fernwood Baptist Church.    Abby Fowler agreed to lead the next dinner, in December.   We will look for another covenant group or small group for the following one, in February.
*Pink Sunday:  Alice spoke briefly about this breast cancer awareness day at the Oct. 25th service and material was available for interested church members.    This material is on the social concerns table.
*Nov. 1st Connie Godenick will begin a monthly Sunday morning health program for our congregation, and also open to the community. Connie and Alice will lead a vegetarian Wonderful Wednesday in November.

This month’s Topics
1. Don Rollins spoke on a particular model for Social Justice activities in a congregation, a model with the power to increase congregational involvement and commitment to issues.   Don offered to assist us with this if we wish, and then left for another meeting. We decided we want to work with this model, so will schedule a special meeting in November with Don on how to implement this, with the goal of information-gathering, educating the congregation, and then offering resolutions at the May Congregational meeting.   
2. PK gave us an update on the excellent work that Brandon David and fellow students are doing to fight school-district sanctioned religious speech & prayer at school events.
3. PK also reported, from Launa Blackburn, that Park Hills School is NOT accepting new volunteers at this time due to increased cost of background checks and the availability of Americorps volunteers.   However, previously screened volunteers are still very welcome.
4. Alice shared the Board’s request that we educate the congregation about the FDA Blood Bank policy and the resolution proposed by David Stack.   He shared with us additional information on this clearly discriminatory ban.   We discussed this, and all members present agreed to undertake this educational effort and discussed a step-by-step process using the Bulletin, the Happenings, and culminating in a 10:00 am meeting in January, some time prior to the Congregational meeting
5. ShareThePlate:   Alice reported that the Board heard the recommendations from the Social Concern and Finance Committees and postponed action.  The members of the Board were uncomfortable with the social concerns language because it was not explicit enough.  Karen and Nancy Mandlove are working on the phrasing.   No decision as yet. 
Social Concerns members are anxious for a speedy decision so that we can, hopefully, resume ShareThePlate.   Cindy mentioned the favorable attention our church received at the Asheville UU for our ShareThePlate checks on display.
5.  Placement of Collection Barrels:   We need to find a place—will consider this later.
6. Teretha Fowler presented information on prescription drug assistance available to low income people for a fee of only $20/ year.   We posted this information on the Social Concerns bulletin board.
7. The committee approved Flu Epidemic/No hugs reminder signs for the church doors.  These are posted.    

Present:  Alice Sutton (chair), Don Rollins (interim minister), members Abby Fowler, Teretha Fowler, PK Weiss, Cindy Howe, and Ed Wilde, and guests David Stack and Michael Rainey

October Social Concerns Calendar

Love, Knit & Crochet Wed. Oct. 21st, 6:30. We are making scarves for the homeless between now and Christmas. Come with your hook or needles, yarn is provided. Everyone is welcome ~ we will teach beginners.

Social Concerns Committee's Next Meeting: Oct. 28th, 6:30. Topics: Don Rollins will talk about social concerns; blood drives & discrimination against MSM, update from Brandon on youth concerns, update from Launa on Park Hill, and other ideas and concerns brought by members. No meetings in Nov. & Dec.

Wed. Sept. 23rd. Social Concerns Meeting 6:30

Corrected Minutes (thanks, committee members!)
Update on activities of September-October
This month’s topics include: Youth activities, ShareThePlate, Critter Connections, Discrimination against Gay Men by FDA in accepting blood donations and others.

What is “Social Concerns”? Nationally, UU churches have committees, variously called Social Concerns, Social Action, and Social Justice, with efforts similar to ours. They usually stress, as we do, “think globally and act locally.”

Present: Alice Sutton, chair; Don Rollins, minister; Launa Blackburn, Park Hills Liaison; Brandon David, youth rep; Kim Danner, board liaison; additional members Ed Wilde, Abby Fowler, P. K. Weis, Palma and Mitchell Eisner, and Cynthia Howe; and supporters Bobbie Schoss and David Stack.

Update on activities of September-October:
*Total Ministries: Penny Hatchell calls Total Ministries when the food barrel is full. Previously, Meg Barnhouse sometimes gave food directly to needy applicants from the barrel, and Penny has continued that through the summer. We had a consensus that it was better to refer to Total Ministries but agreed that DON ROLLINS should decide whether he wished to continue this tradition or preferred that all applicants go direct to Total Ministries: Discussion w/ DON: he wants to follow the church recommendation. We recommend that he refer all to Total Ministries & Free Lunch at Second Pres. *Wed. Sept. 16th. Love, Knit & Crochet had its first meeting. We will knit/crochet scarves for the homeless from now till Christmas, meeting monthly. We hope more will join us.
*Ruth Stanton offered info on pending legislation for public education & voter registration on Sept. 20th.
*Launa Blackburn spoke at the Sept. 20th service on Park Hills partnership to recruit volunteers and put calendar on bulletin board.
*Alice spoke about Social Concerns committee after service. Also bought organizations directory.
*Oct. 1st & 3rd. SPIHN (Spartanburg Interfaith Hospitality Network): UU church commitment to Fernwood Baptist Church is to provide one meal to the homeless family/families hosted. Dixon Covenant Group will provide Th. Oct 1 meal and Launa will be a Saturday overnight host.
*Breast Cancer Awareness & Memorial: Sally Hicks has ordered Pink Sunday materials for us and Alice will speak about this at Oct. 25th service.
*Nov. 1st Connie Godenick will begin a monthly Sunday morning health program for our congregation, and also open to the community.

This month’s Topics
1. ShareThePlate: we all thought this was very worthwhile last year. Did we really lose money doing this? Ed Wilde explained the Finance Committee recommendation of 7/09. They recommended that “any plate amount over $80 each Sunday will be given to the charity of the month in addition to checks and contributions given to the church in the charity’s name.” This was calculated based on church pledges and the pattern of giving, to hopefully meet budget.
We felt that this phrasing was very awkward and also would not encourage people to give that extra amount for charities that the previous Share the Plate plan did. However, we acknowledged the financial realities that make the previous Share the Plate plan more generous than we can afford at this time. After much discussion, we reached a consensus and make this recommendation to the Board:
That we share the plate every Sunday with the following phrasing: This month, the ___________(charity) will receive all designated checks or money placed in the donation envelopes and labeled for _________, as well as a portion of the loose cash and change put in the collection plate.” We would like to continue to have each recipient organization speak at one service for a few minutes, and would also like that org. to have a table with info. in the fellowship hall at least one week in the month.
Further, we designate Park Hills School as our next Share The Plate recipient. We will do a new congregational survey and choose additional recipients in October and January. Launa agreed to create this survey.

2. Bobbie Schoss shared information on “Critter Connections,” an animal foster-and-adoption NPO in Spartanburg. This is a good place for people looking for pets or who would like to foster a pet, and also a good candidate for Share The Plate.

3.David Stack shared information about the lifetime exclusion of blood donations from men having sex with men (MSM). The American Red Cross, the American Assoc. for Blood Banks and America’s Blood Centers have urged the FDA to revise the ban because of technological advances ensuring the safety of the blood supply with a revised plan. This discrimination has led some to call for banning blood drives from some locations. We agreed that all members present will research and think about this topic and discuss this at our Oct. meeting. Launa will discuss this issue with Rick Hahnenburg & Margaret Schmidt, who have been involved in recent blood drives, and invite them to our next meeting.

4. Brandon David shared his ideas on how our youth would like to contribute to our church, first, by helping with fundraising, and second, with our help to expedite community volunteer activities. He also spoke about the need for more recreational youth activities in our community, and we discussed some ideas on how youth recreation and fundraising could be combined. We thought the youth could make a wonderful contribution to the auction by teaming up to offer hours of work. Our new fundraising committee clearly needs a youth member, too! Don, P. K. and Launa will take initial steps to help with ideas such as a youth coffee house or dance, and volunteer help at after school activities at Park Hills School. Alice & Launa will be happy to talk to a youth group about community activities after Alice has attended upcoming neighborhood assoc. meetings.

5. Brandon also spoke about the Respect and Equality Petition with 600+ signers presented by high school students at the District 6 School District Board meeting. This was in response to a very exclusive prayer-speech given at last spring’s graduation at Dorman High. Subsequently, the School Board lost the petition. The Social Concerns committee support this petition and agree that Brandon, et al, should have a table in the Fellowship Hall on a Sunday very soon, to give our church members the opportunity to sign a new petition. Brandon will let us know when he would like to have a table in the Fellowship Hall (soon).

6. Launa shared her concerns about declining contributions to the Total Ministries Food Barrel. She would like the barrels put in a more visible location. Alice will bring barrel locations and other housekeeping concerns up at the next COC meeting.