Helping Save Lives Drop by Drop
Compassionate and dedicated are two words that describe Dakota Schloot, coordinator, recreation activity and activity therapy at Corewell Health’s Rehabilitation & Nursing Center – Pine Ridge. Caring for others is something she loves doing, so when the opportunity arose to help others by donating blood, she jumped at the chance.
Helping others is a passion for Dakota, and the desire to work in health care came from watching television, of all places. “I decided to work in health care because I was a huge ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ fan,” she said with a laugh. “One of the best parts of my job is when I can help turn a resident’s day around and make them smile. That’s the best feeling in the world.”
There’s no average day for Dakota. One of her many roles is helping coordinate activities for residents. Every week, she helps run the hair salon at the nursing center.
“I set up appointments in between our activities with the residents,” said Dakota. “On Wednesdays we start around 10 am, and if it’s busy we can go all the way until 3 pm. I enjoy helping our residents anyway I can. Simply getting your hair done can change your entire mood for the day.”
Wanting to help others in a new way, she recently decided to donate blood.
“I think it’s really cool, being able to take something out of your own body and provide it to someone else to help them,” Dakota said. “All the intricacies of the human body are super fascinating, and something as simple as blood, which we all have, can make an impact by simply donating is amazing.”
This was Dakota’s fourth attempt to donate blood. She had tried previously, going back as far as high school, but an unfortunate injury, having a recent piercing, and low iron levels at one time prevented her from being able to donate. Despite this, she was dedicated to continuing to try.
“I wanted to keep trying,” Dakota said. “I wanted the experience and ability to help others. So, when I saw the opportunity posted on The Well, I knew I wanted to donate. It was a great experience, and something I’d highly recommend to others. It’s something I plan on doing again.”
Since donating for the first time, Dakota now donates platelets every two weeks.
You can find a complete list of dates, times, and locations to give blood at one of the community blood drives here.
The donation process usually takes one hour, including registration, a brief medical screening, and blood collection. Donors must show a photo ID, such as a driver’s license.
For more information on blood donation, or to schedule an appointment, visit donate.michigan.versiti.org.