Making a Difference

They made me bleed my own blood yesterday at work! At the Red Cross Blood Drive in honor of a little boy whose grandparents attend the church where I work.

Nathan as has been battling an aggressive form of brain cancer for the past year. Nathan is only 4-years old and has had several surgeries and radiation treatments, blood products from donors have helped sustain Nathan throughout this process.

I haven't donated in nearly 6 years! The first time I gave I was 16; it was at a drive at my school. My parents signed the release form to allow it and I did it to find what blood type I have and to conquer my fear of needles. The day I got my donor card and found out my blood type is A+, at this time I was the last child at home but we had moved my grandparents in with us. Every night at supper around the table sat me, mom, dad, Grandma and "Balmer" (grandpa).

I declared, "my blood type is A+ positive!" And Balmer, 92, leaned over and said, "so am I, maybe someday you can give to me." And a very short time later, Balmer passed away, but I was told he had received 2 blood transfusions in the two weeks he was in the hospital before passing on. This then set off a mission for me.

In the span for 4 years, I had joined the gallon club. I stopped because life happened, I had a hard time giving the last few times or my iron was too low and I couldn't give. But yesterday may have restarted that spark to give. Maybe not that much or that often. My nurse, Dawn, helped me a lot, the fear and over dramatized memory of giving had clouded my mind over the past few years. However, it was not as bad as your imagination leads you to believe. I was done in less than 10 minutes.

Donating blood isn't that bad! Give for the Nathan's of the world! I give because maybe my grandfather received my blood when he was sick, or maybe my donation helped saved another girl's grandpa!

If you can't give financial or in service to a cause, donating blood is a great way to help, it takes a small amount of time but can have a big impact on others!