Versiti - Beth Diekema | Impact Stories
 

Beth Diekema

“It’s quick, easy and painless.”

Beth Diekema

Blood Donation | Placenta Donation

Years ago, special ed teacher Beth Diekema heard of a young boy in her school district who had leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant to survive. Though a transplant match was never found, the boy’s life was saved thanks to an umbilical cord blood transplant.

Beth was inspired. When she was pregnant with her daughter Claire, her father—a Versiti employee—encouraged her to consider donating Claire’s cord blood. After consulting with her doctor and filling out the paperwork, all Beth had to do was wait for her daughter’s arrival.

“As an adult, I would love to save somebody’s life,” Beth says. “How great to know that an unborn child can give life, too, even when they’re just getting theirs?”

After Beth safely delivered Claire, doctors collected her cord blood in a blood bag. “It was interesting to see how much blood they actually collected, and to know that would’ve just been wasted,” she says. “It doesn’t take anything away from you or your baby; it’s just giving something to someone else.”

Beth attempted to donate cord blood a second time with her son, Connor, but was unable to. Still, she encourages other expectant mothers to learn about donating cord blood and how they can save lives.

“It’s quick, easy and painless. And if it benefits somebody else, why wouldn’t you do it?” she says. “It can change somebody’s life forever.”


People need people, make a difference in someone’s life by donating blood.

We must rely on each other for the gift of blood, and patients in your community rely on the generosity of Versiti’s blood donors to help. Please consider scheduling an appointment to donate. If this is your first time, donating blood is quick, easy and relatively painless. And, it is a great way to give back and help patients in your community.

 

Impact Stories | Organ & Tissue Donation

 
Jenny Havlik
When Jenny Havlik learned that health issues would require her to deliver her daughter, Anya, via scheduled C-section, she was thrilled to learn it would allow her to donate her placenta and umbilical cord tissue.
 
Jessica Kidd
Due to a surgery to remove uterine fibroids, Jessica Kidd knew a C-section would be part of her son’s birth story. 
 
Nicole Schwartz
For Nicole Schwartz, donating her placenta was a simple decision.
 
Placenta Donation Program
Are you an expectant mother with a planned C-section? Learn more about placenta donation.
 
About Blood Donation
Donate blood, donate plasma or donate platelets at a blood donation center near you or a blood drive near you. Make an appointment to donate blood today.
 
Organ, Tissue & Eye Donation
Versiti Organ and Tissue is an organ procurement organization focused on increasing the Wisconsin donor registry though community outreach programs.
 
Share Your Story
Versiti invites you to share your story and photo to help encourage more people to give back. You may even be featured throughout the year on our social media.