By Alana Mauger

Pat Woods recalls with great affection his father’s commitment to service. And for Gerard Woods, giving blood was part of that commitment.

As a kid, Pat remembers sitting in the waiting area while his dad donated blood.

“He gave blood 3 to 4 times a year until he went on blood thinners in 2017,” shared Pat. “It wasn’t until he passed away that I found his [blood donation] card from 1979.

While Pat and his three siblings admired their dad’s commitment to donating blood, he acknowledged that none of them really followed in his footsteps.

“I donated once or twice in high school because it got me out of class,” he said. “I knew it was a good thing to do, but it just wasn’t a priority.”

Then, in July 2021, a bone marrow biopsy revealed Gerard’s blood cell counts were low. He received several blood transfusions, later followed by therapeutic apheresis, a process that replaced his plasma.

Gerard passed away in October from what was later revealed to be an undiagnosed form of lupus that causes blood clots. But Pat and his family are grateful for the extra time they had with him, thanks, in part, to blood and plasma transfusions.

The experience prompted Pat to give blood for the first time in close to 20 years. He shared his donation, along with his dad’s story, on social media and encouraged others to donate.

“A few people who used to donate told me they picked it back up as a result of my posts,” he said.

Pat’s oldest sister, Annie, also recently donated for the first time.

“She was very nervous. The Red Cross staff was wonderful and accommodated her fear of blood. She was able to sit away from other people who were donating so she couldn’t see them,” he said.

Pat and Annie set up Team Gerry Woods on the Red Cross Blood Donor App to encourage others to donate in honor of their dad’s dedication to service.

“We feel fortunate that blood was available to my dad when he needed it,” said Pat. “Now I’m hoping to pay it forward in his honor.”