It's in His Blood
Cape Coral Hospital donor receives award
Dan Latorella is a celebrity in Cape Coral. The Lehigh man has been awarded the 2017 John Woolslair Sheppard Award for donating blood platelets at Cape Coral Hospital, part of the Lee Health medical system. Latorella, in fact, has faithfully donated for nearly 20 years, spending an hour-and-a-half every three weeks donating platelets, according to Cape Hospital officials. “This award caught me totally by surprise,” Latorella says. “I feel good doing it because I know it is helping patients fighting cancer. I started donating by chance in 1999 when my wife was getting blood work done. Karen Lopez [the Lee Health Blood Center nurse] asked me if I’d be willing to donate platelets. I said ‘sure’ and I’ve been donating ever since. I’m up to 200 donations.” The John Woolslair Sheppard Award is given to those supporting the Lee Health blood program. Sheppard is a retired Fort Myers attorney, an author and philanthropist donating blood since 1951. Latorella is in good company, as Sheppard is also a Guinness Book of World Records holder for the most whole blood donated. Sheppard still donates every 56 days, Lee Health officials report. According to Susie Nystrom, director of Lee Health Blood Center Services, there is no other substance that can heal and save lives the way blood/blood products can. From one donation—one pint of blood—red blood cells and the plasma help save three of us suffering from various diseases and trauma, she says. Lee Health requires about 500 units of blood per week. Latorella does not see a time when he won’t make the trip to Cape Coral Hospital to donate, he says.