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Phil
A Legacy of Donating Life
My father donated blood most of his adult life and overall, has donated over 10 gallons of blood in his lifetime. I have also been donating for years and recently received my one gallon donor pin. I try and donate every chance I get. The American Red Cross comes to my place of employment regularly here in Tulsa for donations (I am scheduled to donate this Thursday, as a matter of fact). Recently, I am proud to say that my oldest son, Bradley, is carrying on the tradition....he donated blood for the first time on April 3, 2013. It means a lot to me to see him following in our footsteps and understanding what an important thing he is doing for such a worthwhile organization.
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Mary M. Gillard
R.N. volunteer blood mobile coordinator
I have been the blood mobile coordinator for the last 25 years.I feel that I am obligated do this as I can no longer donate myself. One gets a wonderful feeling that you are doing the right thing for the community. As a former intensive care/critical nurse I know how quickly the local blood supply can be used, and donors are so critically needed. Please encourage your family and friends to donate.
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Daniel
Saved at Birth
My name is Daniel, and I was born with a rare birth defect, a diaphragmatic hernia. Last time I researched this defect, it was still a serious condition that was prone to ending the lives of those born with it in staggering numbers. The odds were far worse when I was born in 1986. I was however, a miracle. I was saved by the skillful hands of doctors at Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, OR. and with blood from American Red Cross. Regardless of the skill of those doctors, without those donations of blood, I would have died before I even had a chance to live.
It is for this reason that I donate blood to the American Red Cross whenever I can. I take immense pride in knowing that someday, my blood might be the thing that saves a life, just as mine was saved by some kind volunteer. I plan to donate as long as I am able to, and every time (despite a fear of needles) I will smile with proud satisfaction, knowing that I am doing the right thing.
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Luanne
My RC Family
I have been a volunteer at the RC in Woodland Hills, CA for the past 3 & a 1/2 years. It started as just when I could come in, then the man in charge of volunteers called & asked me if I could cover Saturdays for a month and a 1/2 when the regular came back. Well, I have been the regular volunteer on saturdays ever since, the nurses and I are great friends, I do consider them one of my extended families.
This year has not been the best for me, but also is the best! I was informed in January that I had cancer, which besides frightening me, also disappointed me, as I am a platelet donor, and you need to be cancer free for a year before donating again. Well, I had surgery in February, am cancer free, so I will be able to donate next year, and my RC family has been very supportive, with cards, prayers and well wishes. I even have regular donors who asked about me and were thrilled to here of my recovery.
RC is very much a part of my life, first by being a donor, then as a volunteer, as I am just as interested in my friend nurses, volunteers and donor friends as I think they are in me!
That's my story, & I'm sticking to it!!!
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Jordan
Helping my family and others
I am a mechanic and know that when you have the right tools, it makes everything easier,and saves time.
I give blood because my mother and brother both work in the medical field and I feel like I can help them by supplying them with a necessary tool for their job, making it easier for them and helping others spend more time with their loved ones.
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Doug
It took a jolt
I had tried giving blood several times while I served in the military, but I couldn't get past that 'needle'. But when I had a horrendous motorcycle accident in which I almost lost my leg, requiring lots of life giving blood, that needle didn't look so big anymore. I decided to return the favor and became a very regular donor, making the 'short list' with my O-Neg blood. I can only hope to make it available to someone who needs it as much as I did back then.
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Olga
Because of my baby Elijah...
I work for SeaMar Vancouver WIC Clinic as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor. I am 35 years old. When I was 33, I had my fourth critically baby born with a Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. His name is Elijah Anischenko. He was born 10 weeks eary, lived, gained weight, but never left the NICU and never came home. He undergone Norwood open heart procedure at OHSU in OR, then we made a very hard decision... My husband stayed home in Washington with three older chidlren, and I flew with Elijah to California Stanford Hospital for his Heart Transplant. While on a list, he undergone another open heart surgery - two in one: Berlin Heart and a Glenn Procedure. On the third day after the surgery, Elijah woke up, but his lungs started to shut down. While at the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Elijah's artery ruptured and he started loosing blood, his blood pressure was decreasing and his oxygenation was decresing. Syringe after syringe, Elijah was getting his blood transfused, but HE DIDN"T SURVIVE... He lived exactly seven months and seven days.. I am almost done writing a book about how Elijah's life changed ours FOREVER, in a positive way. The book will soon be published, probably with a title "Elijah - the Puzzle baby". He was born with a 1% chance for life, but lived 7 m and 7 days. Because of Elijah, I started to donate blood every 6 weeds at Clark County Communtiy Health Center. Even though life can be very harsh sometimes, it is still beautiful and I cherich every moment of it, enjoying my husband and my 3 children - David, Kristina, and Michael. Thank you Elijah for the life lessons!!!! Olga :)
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John
They didn't want money- they wanted my BLOOD!
My wife had complications during the birth of our first child that required emergency surgery. Afterwards I found insurance covered nearly everything, but I got a huge bill for 2 units of blood. I called the hospital to ask about it, and they said my insurance didn't cover blood and that's what it cost. But really, I could go to their blood bank and donate to pay them back. They'd really rather have the blood! That was over 8 gallons ago. I've gladly paid back over and over and over- every 8 weeks pretty much!
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Bill Mortimer
The only way I can say thank you.
It was late 2010. I was astonished when I read my late wife's hospital bill. She had used 9 units of whole blood in her fight for life. At that time I was a once every decade donor. Something deep inside knew I must pay back the system. I was "going to get to it". 4 months later I was driving from Phoenix to Los Angeles. I stopped several times along the way due to what I thought was hemroid pain and unusual bleeding. Then suddenly about one mile out of Palm Springs, Ca. I had a ripping pain in my lower abdominal area. I looked down and saw my car seat was a pool of blood and my blue jeans were soaked. I pulled over as I was loosing consiousness. I called 911 with my location then called my son to say "goodbye". I awoke in the ambulence with the paramedics forcing fluids into me with an IV bolus. Moments later the ER Doc told me I was in trouble and to make peace with my higher power. I must have drained their blood bank over the next few days. They saved my life. I had a burst aneurism in my colon.
6 weeks later I donated my first whole blood to the Red Cross. I have been consistant since. Each time I say THANK YOU.
Bill Mortimer
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Krista
Blood donors saved my son
My son was born 9/22/11. He was only born with 25% of his blood. The rest had went into my system. This is something very rare. His body had shut down and they pumped fluid out that normally comes from a stillborn. They made the decision to fly him to Denver. While there, he received two blood transfusions that saved his life. We were told he would not make it. He did. He would not walk or talk. He does both. He would be on therapy for life. He has already been dismissed. He is a miracle and it is because of God's grace and a few people who donated blood!
After I had him I wasn't able to donate for a year and a half. I donated last Thursday and it feels amazing to give back.
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