Palko is leading the 4th Annual Palko Blood Drive and the Palko Lung Rescue Program.
On Wednesday, Jan. 4, the Moorestown Breakfast Rotary Club hosted Victoria Palko, who is leading the 4th Annual Palko Blood Drive and the Palko Lung Rescue Program at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, located at 51 N 39th St. in Philadelphia. Additionally, Palko’s story was featured on 6ABC last year..
Her mother, Laurie Palko, said at the Rotary Club, “December 13, 2013 was the worst day of my life; I found my normally healthy 19-year-old daughter, Victoria, cold, blue and near death due to complications from pneumonia. I couldn’t wake her as she had collapsed lungs and was in septic shock. For two months, Victoria fought for her life and was in a coma while surviving due to a machine called ECMO, which served as her lungs for 21 days. Not only did the ECMO machine save her life, but so did the hundreds of blood products she consumed, as well as the brilliance, perseverance and compassion of the medical staff caring for her. Victoria had to learn to breath, eat and walk on her own again. Thanks to many miracles and the toughest girl I’ve ever met, Victoria is now fully recovered and leading a normal life.”
The Palko family is blessed to have their daughter with them today, and want to show their appreciation by giving back to those who saved her life — with the hopes of saving others. The doctors at Penn Presbyterian hospital began a Lung Rescue Program to bring these life-saving ECMO machines, in a mobile size, to sick individuals who need to be moved, as there is great risk during the transport process. Thus, the Palko’s hold an annual blood drive in Moorestown to restock this life-saving product. No family should have to endure what the Palko’s went through, but if they do, the Rotary prays that these mobile ECMO machines and blood units will increase the chances of survival.
If you’d like to make a donation to the Victoria Palko Lung Rescue Program, you can do so by sending a check, made out to “Trustees of University of Pennsylvania” and mail it to:
Penn Medicine Development
Attn: Sheryl Garton
3535 Market Street, Suite 750
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Palko’s annual blood drive is being held on Saturday, Jan. 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Moorestown Community House, and every unit donated can save three lives. Walk-ins are welcome, but if you’d like to make an appointment, visit http://tinyurl.com/bdpalko or call (609) 273–4217.
