I recently had a big ask for my family and friends. Not the usual lending of money or a ride to the airport. No, I asked for blood. Blood donations that is. I currently am under treatment that causes me to need blood transfusions every other week — except when I need them three weeks in a row. So, I wanted to host a blood drive to give back. Only I wasn’t doing the giving exactly, it was my friends and family that would need to donate blood to make my wish of giving back come true. And they said yes.
Each time my nurse would tell me I needed a transfusion, and I could get it that day or the next I was in awe of how lucky I was. There were that many blood donors that made it possible for me to get a transfusion immediately when I needed it. Even if I needed it every other week. They never run out. Donors are truly helping patients and saving lives. I, for one, am eternally grateful.
I spoke my wish out loud this summer and my friend Kathy said her son Johnny had recently needed three blood transfusions. We asked Johnny if he wanted to add his name to my blood drive and he said yes. Kathy suggested I ask the monsignor at Star of the Sea Church if I could hold the drive at the church school facility. Monsignor Moran had been very kind to me before, so I went to see him. Before I was even finished explaining why I hoped to hold the blood drive, Monsignor Moran said yes. He added that the church held blood drives pre-pandemic and maybe this one will lead to more. I contacted the Red Cross and was soon partnered with a representative who helped me plan the dates and provided information to publicize the drive.
Asking for blood is not easy. Some people cannot give blood due to their health concerns; some are wary of needles. That I understand completely. I am not a fan of needles myself. Still, so many of my friends and family responded positively. They would give and if they couldn’t give, was there something else they could do? It was overwhelming to see the outpouring of support, but it wasn’t the first time they showered me with love. It wasn’t even the second. They have been there for me throughout my health journey and believe me, it truly helps and feels like medicine.
Over the past three years fighting my health issues, I have had a theme of joy, grace and gratitude. When I told my oldest, Shanna, that I finalized the blood drive details she suggested we get JO+Y shirts for the big day since my blood type is O+. As a family, we love a theme, and a theme often means matching shirts so of course I was thrilled with idea. Someone I worked with also designed shirts, so I asked her, and she was on it right away.
On the day of the blood drive, dressed in our JO+Y shirts, my family hung out for a few hours while I checked people in for their donation time. I loved being the first face people saw when they walked in. People I worked with years ago, family, friends and even strangers who saw the drive publicized.
I knew I would feel good hosting a drive that would benefit patients like me. I didn’t know how much fun the day would be. My small crowd spent hours talking and laughing after they gave blood. The results were better than I could have thought. There were many first-time blood donors which impressed the Red Cross reps at the drive. In the end, there were 29 donations that day which could help up to 90 patients. Talk about feeling overwhelmed. I was so overcome with gratitude for the donors.
When you give blood to the Red Cross they email you to let you know where your blood was used. My husband’s was used for a patient at Boston Children’s Hospital. This was such wonderful news for us to hear. We have a family member who spent many years being treated at Children’s Hospital. To think that my husband helped a young patient in some small way made us both feel good.
Other family members got their information too. One learned her donation was used by a patient in a Vermont hospital; another was given to a patient at Good Samaritan Hospital. Donors were glad to hear of where their donation was used.
This column is more of a thank you letter to the Red Cross and generous donors, the Marblehead community and my own community. Thank you is such a small thing to say but I say it daily and especially when I’m told I need a blood transfusion because I know I can get it immediately thanks to that community.
Christine McCarriston is a Marblehead resident and contributes regularly to the Current.
