Councilman Yusuf Hakeem
Councilman Yusuf Hakeem was honored at a Chattanooga City Council meeting for his many years of service as a blood donor by Jay Baumgardner of Blood Assurance. Councilman Hakeem has donated five gallons of blood, saving over 120 patients at area hospitals with his life-saving gift.
Councilman Hakeem began donating in 2001 when a young girl with sickle cell disease needed blood transfusions to ease her suffering. He also is an advocate for Blood Assurance, encouraging others to join him in saving lives.
Councilman Hakeem served District 9 voters from 1990 to 2006, and was re-elected to that position in 2013. In 2006, he was appointed by Governor Phil Bredesen to the Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole, from which he has now retired. During his first 15 years on the City Council, he served as the council's first vice chairman and as chairman of the Council in 1996, 2000 and 2001. At the first meeting of the new council he was chosen by his fellow council members to serve as chairman for the coming year.
Councilman Hakeem is a 1966 graduate of Howard High School and graduated from Chattanooga State Technical Community College with a major in electronics. He attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and pursued studies in economics. He is retired from 25 years of service at the General Electric Corporation. Councilman Hakeem served as a member of the Chattanooga Board of Education for 10 years.
Councilman Hakeem and his wife of 48 years, Baseemah, have four children, and four grandchildren..
Blood Assurance is a non-profit blood center that serves 47 counties in a five-state region, and is the provider of blood and blood components for 70 health care facilities. Over 440 blood donors are needed every day in order to adequately supply the region served by Blood Assurance with lifesaving blood.
To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. The process usually takes about 30 minutes and includes a complimentary snack and t-shirt. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids - avoiding caffeine - and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating.
For more information about donating blood, call Blood Assurance at 800 962-0628 or go to www.BloodAssurance.org.