Positive infusion

By CANDACE CHASE

Kalispell woman helps Rotarians create safe blood supply in Nigeria

The Daily Inter Lake

Sandy Mundahl's trip to Nigeria with Rotary to open blood banks in nine cities was a far cry from your average blood drive at Wal-Mart.

From looking down the barrel of AK-47s at check points to welcoming visits with royalty, Mundahl found Nigeria a country of contrasts. She said she met friends for life but also narrowly missed a hostage kidnapping on Bonny Island Shell LNG facility.

"The call came from the island that said two hostages had just been taken - don't bring the Americans," she said. "That was the fourth day I was there. It was a little unnerving."

But at every stop and visit, she said she was treated like a queen. The Rotarian contingent was showered with gifts, treated to feasts and celebratory dances, singing and music.

Mundahl called the Nigerians the most hospitable people she had ever met. Her group was entertained by tribal chiefs and top business people. They also had audiences with three state governors.

"They were very appreciative of what we we're doing," she said. "Our safety was their utmost concern."

MUNDAHL STRESSED that this project was not related to her local work as a blood donor recruiter for the American Red Cross of Montana. Her involvement grew from a conversation at the Kalispell Daybreak Rotary Club with Warren Kaufman, a visitor from the Carmel Valley, Calif. Rotary Club.

"I sat with Warren at breakfast," she recalled.

After learning Mundahl was a donor recruiter, Kaufman filled her in about his project to help Nigeria establish a safe, adequate blood supply. What she learned motivated her to join "Safe Blood Africa" for the next two and a half years.

In Nigeria, about 25 percent of patients die because of a lack of blood or receiving blood tainted with HIV or hepatitis. Mundahl said HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has infected about 6.5 percent of the 140 million Nigerians.

"That's a huge, huge number," she said.

Women hemorrhaging after childbirth and children anemic from malaria or other causes make up a large percentage of the deaths due to the shortage of clean blood for transfusions. Because of this effort, physicians expect to save 800 patients a year who would otherwise die.

Mundahl started the fundraising by presenting slide shows to Kalispell Daybreak, Evergreen, Whitefish and Libby Rotarians that raised $6,000. By submitting a grant application to Rotary International, she garnered matching funds of $14,000, for a total of $20,000.

With help from other Rotary clubs, the "Safe Blood Africa" fund eventually grew to $200,000, which Kaufman used to purchase large Hobart commercial refrigeration units and electric generators with a diesel backup.

"We also partnered with clubs in Nigeria," Mundahl said.

Nigerian Rotarians took on the task of finding public hospitals in their cities able to meet blood testing and sanitation standards. The institutions also agreed to discontinue the common practice of paying for blood donations.

BRINGING HER expertise in recruiting blood donors, Mundahl traveled to help dedicate the donor centers. Kaufman, his professional photographer son Chris and Bostonian Rotarian Ben Aduba, a Nigerian by birth, also attended.

"We opened a blood bank in his [Aduba's] home village of Ogu," Mundahl said.

The group landed in Lagos, the second most populous city in Africa (behind Cairo), with almost 9 million people.

At first, Mundahl was startled by the numerous armed guards peppered about Lagos, considered one of the most dangerous cities. Guarded check points became a common sight as they traveled through the southern half of Nigeria.

Most of the time, the group got waved through. But stops were more than memorable as they traveled to nine cities within a 600-mile radius.

"The first time we were actually pulled over, two big soldiers had guns pointed right at us," she said.

At times, Mundahl said she - the only woman - got more protection than she thought necessary. At dinners, two men would follow her to guard her for each trip to the restroom.

She was always booked into the highest room at any hotel. Officials also inspected under her bed and checked out the closet before allowing her to enter.

"I felt at ease most of the time being there," Mundahl said. "They were so safety-conscious."

She traveled much of the time with Lord Edemekong, a Supreme Court justice, and his body guard. She described the judge as "the coolest guy I've ever met."

The hospitals and donor clinics they visited ranged from professional to frightening. Mundahl recalled visiting one room where a huge lizard came crawling out from under the cot.

She recalled another stifling hot room with a bare light bulb, no venting and a dirt floor.

"A donor would have passed out from the heat," Mundahl said.

She felt that their visit and recommendations helped the donor clinics attract volunteers. For a start, Mundahl suggested the name change from bleeding rooms to donor clinics.

During their trip, which ended April 13, Mundahl and the other Rotarians appeared on state and national television and were guests on two radio talk shows. Their goal was to overcome popular myths, such as women shouldn't ever give blood due to their menstrual cycle and fertility concerns.

"Part of our discussion was to emphasize that it's not your blood volume but your iron content," Mundahl said.

Other common myths included one that men become weak by donating and another that a donor could catch HIV through the process.

During one show, a woman kidney specialist participated and gave out her cell-phone number to answer questions.

"She received 65 calls from people wondering where they could donate and asking medical questions," she said.

A group of college students who saw the national television appearance tracked down the group so they could follow them to the clinic and donate blood.

Perhaps the most difficult questions challenged the idea of giving blood rather than selling it. Mundahl said it's one of the few ways some desperately poor people make money for their families.

She said the Nigerians delivered an elegant answer.

"They said something like 'God gave you life freely - you should also give it freely.'" she said.

Reporter Candace Chase may be reached at 758-4436 or by e-mail at cchase@dailyinterlake.com