Local St. Jude patient needs platelet donations amid shortage | News [Video]

A local St. Jude patient needs a second bone marrow transplant, because her bone marrow is failing.

FOX23 has covered Addison Usitalo’s leukemia fight.

Now — St. Jude is starting the donor search and she will be going back to Memphis in the spring.

In the meantime, she needs platelets — there’s a local shortage and you can help by donating either at the Red Cross or Our Blood Institute (OBI), and you can donate in her name.

Addison’s dad has been donating once a week. Addison needs platelet transfusions about every 10-14 days. In some cases, there are none in Tulsa, and she has to wait for them to be brought from Oklahoma City.

Platelets have a shorter shelf life and are in short supply.

Addison and other cancer patients benefit from platelet donations. 

There are appointments available today at OBI — click HERE.