Donated blood helped save one sister after rare twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome
The Hospital of Central Connecticut (HOCC) and Bristol Firefighters Local 773 will continue to honor twin sisters Cameron and Olivia Plourde by hosting a blood drive on Thursday, June 8, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hillside Community Church in Bristol.
Looking now, it’s hard to imagine Olivia and Cameron Plourde once weighed less than 3 pounds each at birth. Today, the nearly 3-year-old twin sisters are healthy, happy, and continue to grow, thanks in part to generous blood donors and the life-saving care provided at the Hospital of Central Connecticut.
The twins were born 11 weeks premature to parents Adrienne and Brian Plourde. At HOCC, Cameron and Olivia were found to be suffering from twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. Olivia received double the amount of blood and nutrients needed for growth, while her sister, Cameron, was born severely anemic. Both were born in critical condition. Cameron needed an emergency blood transfusion and Olivia was given saline to thin her blood so oxygen could reach her organs. Blood for Cameron’s transfusion came from HOCC’s blood bank via donations. The babies spent 57 days in the hospital’s Newborn Intensive Care Unit.
“We are so thrilled to serve as a co-sponsor for the blood drive in honor of the Plourde girls,” says HOCC neonatologist Dr. Annmarie Golioto, chief of Pediatrics, and one of the twins’ caregivers at the hospital. “The generosity of our donors allows us to continue our life-saving work for other patients.”
To honor Cameron and Olivia, the Hospital of Central Connecticut and Bristol Firefighters Local 773 once again invite the community to give blood to help ensure blood is available for all patients in need, like it was for Cameron. Parents Brian and Adrienne are both Bristol Firefighters. “We don’t take things for granted as much as we used to,” said Brian Plourde. “We knew that we were creating life and going to be parents, but we didn’t know how fragile and blessed the experience would be.”
Blood Drive in Honor of Cameron and Olivia Plourde
Thursday, June 8th
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Hillside Community Church
435 Broad Street, Bristol
To make an appointment, download the Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit
redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit
redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit
redcross.org or
cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at
@RedCross.
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