RedCrossPhillyBlog

Category: Blood Donor Profiles

  • Donating blood takes on new meaning for recipient’s family

    By Terri Seydel

    Sue Lowenstein and John Fisher. Submitted photo

    It wasn’t until Bucks County resident Sue Lowenstein found herself alone in a Colorado emergency room, watching her husband fight for his life, that she fully understood the impact blood donors have on another person’s life.

    Sue recalls watching helplessly as the hospital staff administered one unit at a time while rushing to save her husband’s life due to a severe gastrointestinal bleed. In all, it took 5 units of blood and intensive care over the span of about nine days to stabilize and save her husband, who goes by “Fish.”

    As the severity of the situation became clear, Sue realized that she would have lost Fish if that blood had not been immediately available when her husband needed it.

    “The hospital caregivers were amazing, but it was the blood donors that actually saved his life.”

    Blood donation was a habit that Sue began during her college years as a pediatric physical therapy student. At the time, she knew donating was important but had not understood much about the testing and distribution process.

    Many years later, during this emergency while on a vacation with their family in Colorado, she became fully aware of how precious a pint of blood truly is as she witnessed the care and handling firsthand.

    Feeling helpless and alone, Sue watched as each unit was received by her husband’s critical care team. Nurses worked as a team to verify the match between the blood and the recipient. After multiple verifications, the nursing supervisor unlocked the carrier and released the blood for use. Sue couldn’t help but fully appreciate the security measures used to protect both her husband and the donor’s blood.

    It’s been many years since that emergency in Colorado, and Fish’s medical condition is now well controlled. That experience has inspired Sue and their oldest daughter to continue donating in his honor and in hopes of saving other people’s lives.

    Sue often encourages others to consider donating blood. It’s easy to schedule the hour-long appointment for a relatively painless process. Sue also appreciates the Red Cross communication telling her which facility has received her donated blood. This knowledge often provides an emotional connection between blood donors and the community they’ve helped.

    “A pint of blood and [an hour] of your time can literally save the life of a 45-year-old father of three.”

    Red Cross Blood Shortage

    The American Red Cross is experiencing a national blood shortage. Fewer donors than needed gave blood this summer, drawing down the national blood supply and reducing distributions of some of the most needed blood types to hospitals. Donors of all blood types are urgently needed, and there’s an emergency need for type O blood donors, as well as platelet donors. More donors are needed now to ensure patients at hospitals across the country continue to receive critical medical care.    Schedule an appointment to give by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

  • Adam Joseph is among the first to donate blood under the FDA’s new inclusive screening process

    By Alana Mauger

    Adam Joseph holds a first-time blood donor sign after giving blood at Saint Luke Lutheran Church in Devon on Aug., 7, 2023. Photo by Konrad Jones/American Red Cross

    Action News (6abc) meteorologist Adam Joseph gave blood for the first time, on the first day he was eligible, Monday morning, Aug. 7 – the day the American Red Cross implemented new FDA guidelines that eliminate broad, time-based deferrals based on sexual orientation. 

    As a long-time advocate for this change, Adam described the milestone as “a day I have been waiting for my entire life.”

    “Honestly, I don’t even feel like blood is coming out of me right now!” he joked in a Facebook video recorded from the donation table. “I can’t believe this day is here and that you guys are with me. Love you all!”

    Action News reporter TaRhonda Thomas covered Adam’s historic donation, which he made at a Saint Luke Lutheran Church blood drive in Devon.

    Watch: 6abc’s Adam Joseph Donates Blood For the First Time.

    “It took over 40 years for someone like me to be able to give blood, and it took me 4 minutes and 33 seconds to give the gift of life,” he said following his donation.  

    Adam described the day and donation process as “exhilarating,” and promised he would be back to donate again in 56 days, as soon as he is eligible.

    “Not to be a weather pun, but I’m actually on cloud 9 that my blood is going somewhere and is going to help someone and save a life. That’s what we’re about here today is saving a life,” he said. “We’re allowing people who have never ever been able to give blood, maybe their entire adult life like myself, the opportunity to walk in the door and do this.”

    Adam is among the new donors welcomed into the lifesaving mission of the Red Cross Monday.  Under the new FDA donor screening process, all donors answer the same eligibility questions regardless of gender or sexual orientation and are assessed for blood donation based on individual risk factors, not on sexual orientation. This change eliminates the FDA’s previous policy that deferred men who have sex with men from giving blood.

    “The Red Cross celebrates this historic move as significant progress and remains committed to achieving an inclusive blood donation process that treats all potential donors with equality and respect while maintaining the safety of the blood supply,” explained Stefanie Arcangelo, interim CEO, Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region. “The Red Cross is committed to achieving further progress and will continue to provide data to the FDA in support of making blood donation even more inclusive.”

    Years of data have demonstrated that this new eligibility screening process ensures a safe blood supply patients can feel confident in. For years, the Red Cross has worked to change the deferral policy concerning men who have sex with men – this work included decades of data collection and assessment to improve transfusion safety, ongoing advocacy to eliminate donor questions based on sexual orientation, and our recent role as a leading contributor in the FDA-funded ADVANCE Study.

    The Red Cross welcomes everyone who wishes to be part of our humanitarian mission. You can learn more about these updates as part of our Eligibility FAQs. There is also information specific to the LGBTQ+ community on our LGBTQ+ Donors page.

  • Local volunteer Mary Noll honored with the Bob Hasmiller Award

    By Jenny Farley

    Mary Noll receives the American Red Cross Bob Hasmiller Award from Cliff Holtz, chief operating officer, and Gail McGovern, president and CEO, on April 26, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Photo by Dermot Tatlow/American Red Cross

    For the past 18 years, Mary Noll has volunteered for the Red Cross. She has deployed at least 30 times, helping out after disasters at home and throughout the country. Now, her service and dedication have been nationally recognized with the prestigious Bob Hasmiller Award as the disaster services volunteer of the year. She received the honor at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

    Mary said she felt humbled by the award and shared the credit with her fellow volunteers. “I owe a lot of the award that I got to the people that I work with. I’ve had a lot of good people that have taught me and as a result I’ve turned around and tried to teach others what I’ve learned.”

    In 2022, Mary volunteered 3,800 hours. “That’s almost two full time jobs,” she said. Mary has several roles with the Red Cross including instructor, mass care and many logistical jobs that help keep the Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicles (ERV) on the road during a disaster.

    She is a Red Cross fleet and facilities volunteer partner, transportation lead, a National Fleet Operations (NFO) administrator and the specialty vehicle operator lead for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Region.

    “When I go out on national responses, I go out as an admin so I assist the mechanics in inspecting and repairing and servicing anything that is on the disaster relief operation.

    So we keep as many vehicles as possible functional.”

    Those vehicles are critical to providing people with the help they need to recover from a disaster, like the one that inspired Mary to begin volunteering.

    “I’m a Katrina baby,” she said. During Hurricane Katrina, Mary said she was sitting on a couch in Atlanta, on her birthday, watching the devastation and misery of the storm on the news. What she did next changed her life.

    “I just said, what am I doing sitting here when I should be there?” She signed up to volunteer with the Red Cross and was immediately deployed to the Lower 9th Ward in New Orleans. “Basically, Ground Zero,” she said.

    Mary fed people out of the back of an ERV for nearly a month and spent Thanksgiving with grateful residents in an empty lot in the middle of the Lower 9th Ward. “They said,

    ‘You’re part of our family and we need you to sit down and have dinner with us.’ So it was the most meaningful Thanksgiving I’ve ever had. Even to this day it makes me cry.”

    Helping people survive after one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, taught Mary how important it is to cherish what you have because “you never know how much you have to lose until you lose it.”

    Mary Noll donates blood at the 6abc blood drive on March 29, 2023. Photo by Alana Mauger / American Red Cross

    Mary coped with her own immense loss when she kept volunteering with the Red Cross during the pandemic. “The Red Cross was there for me when my husband was diagnosed with a blood cancer,” she said.

    After years of donating blood themselves, Mary and her husband Peter suddenly needed blood for Peter to fight cancer.

    “Toward the end, he was getting 10 units of one type of blood product or another a week. If it hadn’t been for that, he wouldn’t have been around, as long as he had.”

    Peter died of his rare cancer after a lifetime together and nearly 47 years of marriage. Mary credits blood donations with helping him live longer, giving them more time. Peter had a volunteer spirit too. The week before he died he helped move donated mattresses into the Red Cross House in Philadelphia.

    The Red Cross House is the only one of its kind in the country. It’s a place for people who have lost everything in a fire or other disaster like a building collapse, to temporarily live while they rebuild their lives. Mary has volunteered there helping guests at the front desk when they first arrive.

    If you are interested in volunteering for the Red Cross, Mary has some advice. “You get more out of it than you can ever put into it. People are so grateful that you’re there in their darkest hour.”

    Mary plans to keep volunteering and sharing the Red Cross mission, with the memories of Hurricane Katrina and other disasters she has deployed to, never forgotten.

    “That’s why I’m still here. I go out and I take care of people. People say why do you do it? And I say because if something like that happened to my family, I’d want somebody to do it for them.”

    To learn more about how to become a Red Cross volunteer like Mary, or to donate blood, visit redcross.org.

  • The lasting legacy of two best friends: Saving lives through donating blood

    By Jenny Farley

    The luckiest among us have a once in a lifetime friendship. For Dominic Chilberti, that friend was Chris. “Chris was everybody’s best friend. He was loved by everyone,” said Dominic.

    They met at four years old and what began as children turned into decades of joy and camaraderie. Kindergarten, eight years of Catholic school, some high school and then as often happens in life, a separation of physical distance when they both moved out of their hometown.

    In the 1980s, before smartphones offered Facetime and texting, Dominic and Chris managed to stay in contact the old fashioned way, “over the phone.”

    For years, those phone calls ranged from 10 minutes to two hours. The talks cemented a friendship that ushered both men through the triumphs and failures of life, with a lot of laughter.

    “Chris didn’t laugh at many of my jokes but when he did he had the best uncontrollable laugh and it would make my day.”

    Then came news neither was expecting. Doctors told Chris he had brain cancer. Chris began a fight to live that led to treatment, surgery and a critical need for blood transfusions.

    Throughout his illness, Dominic described Chris as the man everyone wanted to help. “Chris was the type of person that had so many friends it was actually hard getting a chance to help him.”

    Chris fought hard for nearly three years but died in March of 2022. Mired in grief, Dominic wanted to do something and remembered what Chris had told him.

    “Chris and I talked about how I wished I could do more and he mentioned donating blood. They were always telling him they needed blood donors.” So, in memory of his friend, Dominic began to give.

    “I remember being so frustrated that all I could do is sit by and watch my friend wither away. After his passing this frustration grew. This gave me some purpose in helping in his memory.”

    Dominic didn’t stop after donating once. In 2022, he donated at least 27 units. He started with whole blood and then moved on to platelets. He said he donates “as often as the requirements allow me. I continue to do this in the hopes that anyone in treatment or surgery in need of blood never goes without.”

    Some people may be hesitant to give a lifesaving blood donation, but Dominic offered reassurance.

    “For most people it is fear of the unknown. It can be intimidating before you actually do it, but once you have you will laugh at yourself for waiting so long. If you can survive a blood test, you can donate blood. It really isn’t that different and it doesn’t take much time.”

    Dominic wants to recruit others to donate blood. He also plans to keep donating himself and when he does he will always think of Chris.

    “I was very lucky to have had him in my life.”

    For more information on how to donate blood and to schedule an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org.

  • Giving platelets – How to help save a life

    By Caroline Carr

    Blood donor arm while giving. Photo by Michelle Frankfurter/American Red Cross

    It’s a great feeling to get the notice that you’ve saved lives just by sitting in a chair for a couple of hours and donating platelets. I’ve been donating platelets for a year and it’s been the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had. Just knowing that my donation has helped children who are fighting cancer and people who have suffered trauma makes that two hours go by quickly. I keep a map where I can mark off each state where a donation has gone. It’s so much fun to see how far donations go and to find out what hospital is using them. So far my donations have made it to New Jersey, Philadelphia, West Virginia and Maryland.

    I especially love when my platelets go to CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) because I know they are helping a child who is fighting cancer. We all know someone who has had cancer. If you’ve ever wondered what you can do to help, donate platelets. It’s very gratifying to be able to make a difference for a family that is living with so much pain.

    What are platelets?

    Platelets are a component of blood that assists with blood clotting. They are essential for people who are dealing with cancer, chronic diseases and traumatic injuries.

    Every fifteen seconds someone needs platelets. Donors are needed every day because of this need and due to the short shelf life of platelets. They can only be stored for five days.

    What is a donation like?

    The whole process takes about two hours. First, a phlebotomist takes your vitals to make sure you can donate that day. Then you are shown to a very comfortable chair where you will sit for the duration of the donation. You have to sit still for the donation, but don’t worry! The Red Cross provides Netflix so you can relax and stream a movie you’ve been waiting to see. Or catch up on that series you’ve wanted to binge.

    The phlebotomist will insert two needles, one in each arm, and hook that up to an apheresis machine. This machine filters out the platelets from your blood and then returns your blood to you in your return arm. Some donation centers can do a one arm donation where they stick your arm in two different places so you can give blood from one needle and receive the return in the second needle. However, most centers use both arms. You must keep your arms still during the donation so you won’t be able to read a book or use your cell phone.

    Tips for donating

    • You might get a little chilly because the blood being returned to you is a lower temperature. The center can provide a warm blanket for you to keep you warm during your donation.
    • Sometimes I feel a little tingling in my mouth or upper lip. This is because of the citrate included in the return arm. This helps your blood to clot. If this happens, let your phlebotomist know right away and they can adjust the amount of citrate and give you Tums, which will alleviate the tingling.
    • You can donate up to 24 times a year. Watch out, it becomes addictive once you donate. You will want to keep helping people and doing something that makes a huge difference in someone else’s life.
    • Get a good night’s sleep and make sure to keep yourself hydrated a couple of days before you donate.
    • Tell the staff if you feel any discomfort at all. There is usually a work around for whatever you are feeling.
    • Keep thinking about all the lives you are saving!

    Join the online support group

    One of the best parts of donating is joining the online American Red Cross Platelet Donors Group on Facebook. There are so many supportive people out there who love donating as much as you will. They can give you great advice and encouragement to keep going. With over nine thousand members, they cheer each other on, give advice and it’s moderated by great volunteers who can answer any question you might have.

    Platelet donation is a great way to give back. It really does help a lot of people in need. It’s a fun experience and you will find great support to keep doing it. So don’t wait! Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App today and make an appointment. You’ll be happy you did, and so will someone else!

  • World Blood Donor Day: Dave and Jillian Thomas are a match made in heaven

    By Jenny Farley

    Dave and Jillian Thomas enjoy food, travel, museums and their two dogs. Jillian said the hardest thing about her blood disorder is realizing she can’t make it better on her own. Blood donors have “restored her faith in humanity.” Submitted photo by April Cunningham

    Dave and Jillian Thomas met ten years ago on a dating app. This year they are celebrating five years of marriage.

    “On our first date, Dave cut up my dinner for me and I knew we’d be a match,” Jillian said.

    Jillian, a physician’s assistant who works in an emergency room, has no muscle in her hands. She has Diamond-Blackfan Anemia (DBA).

    She explained her genetic condition as “a very rare blood disorder that means you don’t produce red blood cells. There are less than 1,000 people in the world who have it.”

    For Jillian, living with DBA means she gets tired easily. “When you don’t have red blood cells you can’t breathe. Going up the steps is difficult. Even turning over in bed is hard,” she said.

    As a last resort, treatment may mean a bone marrow transplant, but most patients are treated with steroids and blood transfusions. Jillian has had at least 20 transfusions but considers herself lucky that she hasn’t had more.

    “For people that are unable to be responsive to medication, it’s usually every three to four weeks,” she said.

    Jillian’s husband Dave said, “Fortunately, her case is a lot less severe than a lot of people who are transfusion dependent.”

    Dave started donating blood about seven years ago after going with his wife to receive her transfusion.

    “It’s really rewarding to be able to. I’m happy to give it. It’s great that people like my wife can benefit from something that fortunately I‘ve got a plentiful supply of.”

    Dave has donated at least 11 units of blood — some of them “power red” donations, where two units red blood cells get separated out and the plasma and platelets get returned back to him during the donation.

    “It’s a very simple way to do something that saves people’s lives. A simple way to have a massive impact for others. I don’t know why I didn’t do this all along. I don’t need it. Somebody else does,” he said.

    When he started giving, Dave and Jillian learned something that surprised them. He had A negative blood, just like Jillian.

    “I always tell people that we are a match made in heaven because A negative is one of the rarer blood types,” Jillian said. In fact, only 1 in 16 people have A negative blood.

    Donating blood led Dave to be more involved with the Red Cross, and he became a board member for the Red Cross Delaware Valley Chapter. With a background in insurance, it was the perfect blend of his personal and professional lives.

    “The Red Cross is a massive organization that does a lot of good,” he said. He believes in the Red Cross mission.

    “Serving those who need it most in times of disaster and in times of need no matter what that is. It’s amazing, every time something bad happens the Red Cross is there,” Dave said.

    His service to the Red Cross makes his wife proud. “Dave’s the type that will stop the car to help the turtle cross the road, so I’m not surprised he got involved in such a philanthropic community,” she said.

    Dave has helped out at Sound the Alarm events where Red Cross workers go door to door installing free smoke detectors. He has also volunteered by making phone calls to thank people who have organized blood drives.

    “It’s amazing how many people are generous with their time and their money. One of the things that’s most impactful is the mobilization of good people,” he said.

    The Red Cross provides about 40% of America’s blood supply. Jillian said it takes about 2 ½ hours to receive a blood transfusion. During that time, she stares at the blood and thinks about who donated it and where it came from.

    She learned something from a DBA community group on Facebook that sticks with her. She read about a little girl who believes she inherits the personality of the blood donor during transfusions.

    “If she’s reading more, it’s because she got the blood of an author. If she’s dancing better, it’s because she got the blood of a dancer. So nice!”

    If you are thinking about giving blood but haven’t yet, think about something else Jillian said.

    “I have a shirt that says my life was saved by a blood donor. It’s because of people’s generosity, relying solely on the compassion of others, that my life has been saved.”

    Help the Red Cross celebrate World Blood Donor Day and meet the critical needs of patients. Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to schedule a time to give now.

  • National Volunteer Week: Ellen Silverberg-Brennan is committed to blood donation and so much more

    By Jenny Farley

    Ellen Silverberg-Brennan (center) received a Exceptional Biomedical Volunteer award in November. She’s pictured with Red Crossers (from left) Guy Triano, regional CEO; Larry Pockers and John Susanin, board chairs; and Jennifer Graham, executive director, Delaware Valley Chapter. Photo by Donn Greenberg/American Red Cross

    For most of us, finding one passion in life that excites us can provide a lifetime of reward. Ellen Silverberg-Brennan has several, including a long track record of giving blood, volunteering and doing intricate needlework.

    Ellen started volunteering for the Red Cross after witnessing the organization in action.

    “I had been with FEMA for many years and had seen the Red Cross working at disaster locations,” she said. She saw the Red Cross provide food, shelter and clothing to people who had lost everything.

    The Red Cross recently awarded Ellen an Exceptional Biomedical Volunteer award for her work as a blood donor ambassador and an onboarding and training specialist.

    “It made me feel great,” she said.

    Ellen had a background in training and had donated blood since college in the 70’s, so becoming an ambassador was a “natural transition.”

    Blood donor ambassadors help donors through the process of giving blood. Ellen speaks to volunteers who want to become ambassadors, describes what the job entails and then arranges a training session.

    At donation sites as a blood donor ambassador, Ellen registers donors when they first arrive. She then makes sure donors go to the refreshment area after they are done, and she keeps a watchful eye on how they are doing.

    “I tell them liquids are mandatory and snacks are optional,” she said.

    After years of experience volunteering, Ellen is still impressed by the accomplishments of the Red Cross.

    “The fact that the Red Cross provides 40% of the blood that’s donated in the U.S. That’s incredible!” Ellen said.

    When Ellen decided she wanted to do more to help, she started donating platelets. Patients fighting illnesses like cancer critically need platelets to help their blood clot.

    The process takes longer than a routine blood donation but to donors like Ellen, it’s worth it.

    “I started donating platelets because it made me feel special. There are very few platelet donors compared to whole blood donors. It made me feel like I had gone the extra mile.”

    Ellen has also volunteered at a Red Cross shelter. She said, “The shelter exposure makes you realize how fortunate you are that you have a house to go back to.”

    During her time spent at a shelter, she paid special attention to the pets, especially the cats.

    “I stopped at each enclosure, petted the cats and fed them some treats,” she said.

    Ellen’s love of cats is on display at the Philadelphia Zoo, where she has volunteered as a docent for the past 13 years. Admittedly, these cats are bigger. The zoo has lions, tigers, leopards and even a jaguar. She gets to stand near the cats (when they want to come near), separated by glass.

    “I really interact with the people. I love sharing what I know about the cats and answering people’s questions.”

    Ellen does needlepoint projects that often feature cats. She learned how to needlepoint as a child, continuing a long tradition from her mother and her mother’s mother.

    Her most complex piece involved 396 one-by-one-inch squares, “unique in color or pattern,” each with its own design.

    “It’s practically a life project,” she said.

    It takes a special kind of artist to meticulously piece together that many squares, and a special kind of person to give blood and volunteer.

    Just like every stitch matters in needlepoint, every drop of blood matters in a donation.

    Ellen said everyone should know the variety of services the Red Cross offers and that volunteers make up the majority of the workforce.

    She said she would tell people, “donate to the Red Cross because of the value of the work that’s being done.”

    If you would like to donate or volunteer, learn how at redcross.org.

    Editor’s Note: We’ll be profiling outstanding Red Cross volunteers throughout National Volunteer Week April 16-22. Be sure to check back daily!

  • National Blood Donor Month: Local Red Cross volunteer overcomes fears to help save lives

    By Ava Arteaga

    American Red Cross volunteer and first-time blood donor Ava Arteaga. Submitted photo

    My name is Ava; I’m twenty-two years old, and I am a recent first-time blood donor thanks to the American Red Cross and its incredible volunteers.

    Shortly after joining the Red Cross as a volunteer, I realized I had never donated blood myself. I knew blood donations had decreased since the start of the pandemic and decided this would be a great way to begin my volunteer-journey and contribute to those in need of lifesaving blood.

    I began this process by booking an appointment online at RedCrossBlood.org. I scheduled an appointment and decided to complete my RapidPass® next— this way I could save time on the day of the blood donation. When the day eventually arrived, I got dropped off at the blood drive by my brother and planned to have a friend pick me up. My mother is a nurse and insisted I not drive myself home.

    Once inside, I was greeted by a nice Red Cross volunteer. He could tell I was feeling a bit anxious and chatted with me for a minute. He answered my questions, told me what to expect, and offered positive encouragement. I was directed to another volunteer who greeted me, took down some of my information, and recorded my blood pressure.

    Within a few minutes, I was being walked over to the center of the building where several tables were spread out – some of which people were laying on. I was somewhat thrown off by this and asked what that was all about. The volunteer explained that I would be laying down during the blood donation portion to make sure I would be safe and secure in case I suddenly felt faint.

    At this point my anxiety heightened a bit more. My biggest fear going into this process was that I’d faint during the donation. I sat down on the table and started imagining how I could politely say that I didn’t think this through; however, the idea of walking out gave me more anxiety than the idea of donating. So, I stayed put. I also started to quietly cry.

    Laying back and staring at the blurry ceiling, I heard footsteps approaching me until I saw a figure in my peripheral vision. It was a nurse I hadn’t met yet. She started talking to me with a big smile and empathetic eyes. She assured me that I would be alright and tried to rid my nerves with jokes and laughter.

    Pretty quickly, it worked. She had a nurse’s touch! She told me that she’d be keeping an eye on me and that she would let the phlebotomist know to do the same. The phlebotomist, who was just as comforting and uplifting, performed the blood extraction in no time. Within 10 minutes, I was enjoying snacks and refreshments. I even hopped on my computer and started working while I waited for my ride to arrive.

    My anxiety had absolutely transformed into relief and joy. With the help of the American Red Cross volunteers and staff, I successfully donated blood for the first time. My worst fears never came to fruition. After it was all said and done, I felt fine. Besides feeling a little tired and weak, all 115 pounds of me was in top notch shape. The entire process lasted only an hour, and I was able to continue my day normally. I am already looking forward to my next blood donation!

    If fear or anxiety is holding you back from donating blood, my advice is to let the staff and volunteers of the American Red Cross take care of you so that you can take care of a patient in need. Thank you, Red Cross! This month, I hope you resist those worries and make an appointment to donate blood.

  • National Blood Donor Month: Blood donation is no laughing matter for comedian Mary Frances Connelly

    By Jackie Faiman

    Mary Frances Connelly. Submitted photo.

    Mary Frances Connelly is a mother, a grandmother and a native Philadelphian. She is a standup comedian who has been refining and earning a living from her act for 37 years. She first got into standup to support herself and her daughter, though she admits that it sounds crazy to enter show business for the money. She figured out she was funny early on when she had the boys on her bus ride to school laughing so hard they cried.

    “I could make girls laugh, but it’s rare that a female comic can make men laugh.”

    She is also a regular blood donor for the Red Cross.

    She remembers the event that moved her to become a donor. It was 1982 and she had just given birth to her daughter. During the difficult delivery, she received two units of blood which, she says, saved her life. Now she wants to pay forward the gratitude she felt for that gift.

    She has her regular blood donation down to a science. She schedules it for a Friday evening. After a meal at a local diner, she visits a donation site at a church in Downingtown. Afterward she stops at her daughter’s home to care for her grandson.

    “He wants to know all about that red bandage.”

    And she plans to keep donating for as long as she can.

    “You just feel so good when you’re doing it, and you know that you’re making a difference in someone else’s life.”

    Like many donors, Mary Frances uses and loves the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

    “The App keeps you apprised of your donation. It tells you when they are vetting it and which hospital it goes to. My first one last year went to CHOP (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia). I told my grandson…and he got very excited knowing that my blood was helping little kids.”

    When asked why she gravitated to the Red Cross, Mary Frances points out that the organization steps in at a critical point in peoples’ lives, whether providing a blood donation or relief after a flood or a hurricane.

    “They let you know that there will be a new kind of normal. When you see the Red Cross, you know that things are going to be OK.”

  • National Blood Donor Month: Q & A with writer and 3-gallon blood donor Shawn Proctor

    By Sanaya SinhaRoy

    Frequent Red Cross blood donor Shawn Proctor with his son, Colin, a new donor and senior at Villanova University. Submitted photo.

    “Great things are done by a series of small things put together.” These wise words by Vincent Van Gough can be shown through the act of donating blood. The importance of donating blood is vital. If just one person takes the time to sit down and donate, it can save the lives of up to 3 people. Middle-grade fiction writer Shawn Proctor knows this and has donated 3 gallons of blood so far.

    Shawn has been published in many different literary journals and was nominated for Best New American Voices. He works at Villanova University, where he was first exposed to the idea of donating blood. Here is what he says about his work as a writer as well as his experience of being a regular blood donor.

    Q: When did you make the decision to start donating blood and why?

    A: I work at Villanova University and noticed the College of Nursing was hosting a blood drive. I was a bit afraid of needles at the time, but my mother is a respiratory therapist, and I knew the importance of donating blood. I decided to give it a try on my lunch break. 

    Q: How did you feel after you donated blood for the first time?

    A: So happy. So many of my co-workers were at the drive. I loved seeing a community of students, staff, and faculty come together for the common good, and I was thrilled to contribute my small part to that collective effort. 

    Q:  What gave you the motivation to start donating blood regularly? 

    A: At first, the convenience. The Blood Donor App makes it SO easy to find and schedule a donation. Then I learned at a Red Cross drive that my blood is particularly ideal for babies in neonatal intensive care units. My wife works with very young babies at a school. Knowing that my blood can save someone’s small child, to give them a chance to grow up – that’s all the motivation I could ever need.  

    Q: Having donated 3 gallons of blood already, what would you say to others that are a hesitant of donating for the first time?

    A: Download the Blood Donor app and give donating whole blood a try. The donation process is usually fairly short, but it might take a few times before you get really comfortable. And that’s OK. I listen to audio books or music while donating. Additionally, before you leave, they give you yummy snacks and, sometimes, fun freebies, like a shirt. The Shark Week shirt this year was (*blows chef’s kiss*) amazing. 

    Q: As a middle-grade fiction writer, how many different stories have you written in your career?

    A: In the beginning of my career, I focused mainly on short fiction, so there are several hundred stories in my back catalog –25 have been published in places like Daily Science Fiction, Galaxy’s Edge, and Flash Fiction Online. More and more, I am working on novels for children and have been pitching literary agents in the hopes publishing those longer tales too. 

    Q: What is the hardest part of being a writer in today’s world?

    A: Finding an audience. Your stories compete with an ocean of entertainment media, not to mention the constant social media fads and distractions of cell phones. Stories have to be captivating or you risk … um … opps, sorry! I just heard a notification on Twitter about something a celebrity said on Instagram. Or was it TikTok?

    Anyway, where was I? 

    Q: Have you ever thought of using your creative writing skills to inspire others to donate blood? 

    A: I typically bring in elements of things that are important to me in my stories. For example, I wrote about the horses on Assateague Island in one novel and the importance of the arts in schools in another. Donating blood to the Red Cross is similarly vital, and I know it will find a place in a story someday soon.

    Q: Is there any additional information you would like to share?

    A: During the pandemic, I felt like there was so much division in our country. People were isolated. I resumed donating blood as soon as the Red Cross indicated it was safe to do so, because I knew this was one small way to help out during a very difficult time for many people. 

    Now that restrictions have eased, my children are getting involved donating as well, as they are old enough and motivated to help out others.