My husband and I were always blood donors for as far back as I can remember, until we no longer qualified. It started at work when we got "Kiss me! I gave blood!" stickers. Who wouldn't want to get away from hard work for half an hour, lie down on the job, and get free juice and cookies, too? A small needle stick that really didn't hurt. And best of all was the knowledge that we were saving someone's life. We had blood drives at work, and the motorcycle group we belonged to supported the community with its own blood drives. I don't know how many gallons we shared.
Someone's generosity kept both my mother and father -in-law alive. And now it's been my turn. Severe anemia from total kidney failure caused my dipstick to read a pint low twice this year. Fortunately there was blood on hand for a refill. This time the dipstick says I'm a full quart low. It should be easy to just pop in for a refill. But it isn't. The holidays are critical times for blood shortages. People are just too busy to take those thirty minutes to to save a life. Stopping and relaxing for a short time and giving a precious gift at the same time. What could be better? It doesn't hurt. You can't get any disease. It's free.
The holidays don't have to be about material things. Please take those short minutes to give the most important gift of all. Give the gift of life. I never expected it to come back to me, but it did. Even if it never had, I know I saved lives. And that's a wonderful feeling.
Someone's generosity kept both my mother and father -in-law alive. And now it's been my turn. Severe anemia from total kidney failure caused my dipstick to read a pint low twice this year. Fortunately there was blood on hand for a refill. This time the dipstick says I'm a full quart low. It should be easy to just pop in for a refill. But it isn't. The holidays are critical times for blood shortages. People are just too busy to take those thirty minutes to to save a life. Stopping and relaxing for a short time and giving a precious gift at the same time. What could be better? It doesn't hurt. You can't get any disease. It's free.
The holidays don't have to be about material things. Please take those short minutes to give the most important gift of all. Give the gift of life. I never expected it to come back to me, but it did. Even if it never had, I know I saved lives. And that's a wonderful feeling.