Dear Blood Donor,
There are no words to describe how grateful I am. Because of your decision to generously give blood, my life was saved. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Please let me share how your simple act of generosity changed a life.
I was in the hospital fighting for my life as the result of life-threatening blood loss from a ruptured fallopian tube. Time was running out, and I desperately needed a blood transfusion. It was late afternoon, one of the busiest times for car traffic, but your blood donation was expedited to the hospital by the police department, who picked it up and transported it. It arrived just in time to be administered to me as I clung to life during surgery.
The hospital staff informed me afterward that because of my rare blood type (AB+) and the lack of its availability, I most likely would not have survived without your blood donation. I simply had lost too much blood.
Of course, at the time, I had no idea how many people were involved in the donation process and the transportation of the blood. I had no idea of the complexity of the process until afterward. But I know now, and I am forever grateful that you walked into that donation center that day in June, because although you didn’t know it, your actions that day saved my life.
Now here I am 38 years later, a bit late, mind you, but still steeped in tremendous gratitude to you. It is important for me, even all these years later, to thank you and to let you know that because of your gift of life, I have gone on to live a life in service to others. I will never, ever forget that a stranger generously gave blood to help save my life. My heartfelt wish now is that others do the same.
Giving blood gives life.
Submitted by an American Red Cross Volunteer
Patients like this volunteer need the help of the American people. Schedule an appointment to give blood now by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.
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