Bedlam Blood Drive Battle begins Monday, could help families like the Hannemans

A blood drive competition between OU and OSU starts Monday to collect blood for patients across Oklahoma.

The Bedlam Blood Battle with Oklahoma Blood Institute will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day this week in the Armory’s North Armory Room, according to a news release. OU will compete with OSU to see which university can collect the most blood from donors on campus.

Every two seconds, someone needs blood, according to the news release. Blood donors with Oklahoma Blood Institute provide every drop of blood needed by patients in more than 140 medical facilities across Oklahoma, including all hospitals in the Oklahoma City metro area.

Aimee Hanneman’s son, Bennett Hanneman, is one of these patients. Bennett Hanneman is an 8-month-old boy who has been a patient of The Children’s Hospital at the OU Medical Center, with hematologists and oncologists working since August 2 to diagnose him.

Aimee Hanneman said Bennett Hanneman wasn’t acting like himself, so she decided to take him to his pediatrician who ordered a blood test and found his hemoglobin levels were extremely low. Bennett Hanneman’s hemoglobin levels were 1.7 when he was admitted into The Children’s Hospital.

OU Children’s does not yet have a diagnosis, but Aimee Hanneman said that Bennett Hanneman’s blood samples were sent to Baylor’s medical center and results are expected in the middle of December.

Bennett Hanneman has received seven blood transfusions since he was admitted in the beginning of August because his hemoglobin levels were below 8.0, Aimee Hanneman said.

Amiee Hanneman said that her son receives one blood transfusion around every 10 to 14 days and had to receive a continuous low feed for the first 24 hours after he was admitted.

“Without blood donors, my son wouldn’t be here today, and I just want to thank donors for their time and for giving something so small that makes such a difference,” Aimee Hanneman said.

Bennett Hanneman’s aunt, Julie Watson, is OU Football Coach Bob Stoops’ secretary.

Aimee Hanneman said that Stoops makes it a habit to visit patients at OU Children’s and that and he visited Bennett Hanneman.

“We will always remember his kindness that he showed my family,” Aimee Hanneman said.

Everyone who donates blood could save a life and give patients’ families peace of mind, said Leslie Gamble, Oklahoma Blood Institute’s director of community relations.

“Thousands of lives are saved because of blood donations,” Gamble said.

Every blood donor will receive an OU “I bleed Crimson” T-shirt, free food and a chance to win a pair of tickets to the Nov. 24 Bedlam football game, according to the news release. Also, one donor each day of the blood drive will win an autographed football by OU Football Coach Bob Stoops.

A trophy will be presented to student group leaders during halftime of the Bedlam football game if blood donors on the OU campus outnumber those on OSU’s, according to the news release.

Brooke Hankinson

Brooke is a former staff member of The Oklahoma Daily who worked as Campus Reporter.