BE A HERO
A few years ago I remember getting this Facebook invitation to an event. This event wasn't a party or a date on the calendar, it was an invitation asking for help.
I was invited to the event my an old high school friend, so I trusted it was something worth reading, not to mention the title Help Me Fight Back! was calling my name.
I opened the event and first saw a picture of a girl I recognized, but she was bald. She was pictured with a little boy and had a smile as warm as the sun.
I dove into the description of the event wondering how I knew her and why she was bald.
In the humblest of fashions, Chelle shared her story. She had a rare form of blood cancer, a syndrome that she witnessed her mother loss the battle to, and she needed my/our help.
She asked for me/us to donate blood.
My heart ached for this girl as I scoured through her profile and saw pictures of her with her two beautiful children, laughing, smiling, scared while she had her head shaved, and strong as she stood with other friends and family who also shaved their heads in support.
I thought back to the only time I had ever given blood which was in high school. Once. I remembered it was a little scary, with the needle and the wooziness that follows a blood donation, but I also remembered it being pretty easy and painless.
I immediately searched online to find a local blood drive, scheduled a time and donated blood for the second time in my life.
It took about an hour of my time and it was super easy, they even gave me little snacks, juice and water afterword.
I sat there with other donors, eating my raisins and drinking water, feeling like I helped her. That I'd just given the best gift I'd ever created.
While there, I also learned I had a blood type that can be used with most other blood types (type O). So in instances when there is no time to test a victim when being rushed into the emergency room after a fatal car accident, they can use my blood.
I felt like I had liquid gold coursing through my veins and that I had the power to help people, and that I was valuable. People needed me.
After 56 days, I donated again. This time I had my very own donor card and knew what to expect. I even asked my husband to join me and together we donated blood, ate snacks, and wore our "I saved a life" stickers proudly.
It's been a few years since the Facebook event invite and I've donated 4 times. I wish I could say more, but I've been told when you're trying to get pregnant and having 12 weeks of when I was actually pregnant, that you need to conserve all of the blood for the baby. We're still trying to get pregnant, therefore it's not safe for me to donate right now.
Chelle has been doing great the past few years, she got engaged and even started her own business. But the other day she shared that her blood count is low and needs blood transfusions again.
She needs your help.
The thing is though, that Chelle is just one story. There are millions of people all over the world that need your help. People just like you and Chelle that suffer from illness and disease, have newborn babies who need transfusions, and victims of fires and accidents who need your blood to save their life. The list goes on. And the facts are alarming.
So today, I'm asking you to give a gift, be a hero, save a life and give hope by donating blood.
If you can't donate blood, ask someone to donate for you. Ask your friends, your family, your colleges. Share these posters on your Facebook wall. Anything you can do to help will be noticed. And will be worth it.
And because I can't donate blood right now, I need someone to do it for me. Will you help me donate? Go here to schedule your donation and be a hero.
Wanna print these posters out? Click on each link below to print of a 8.5x11" print to hang on your wall, give to your friends and family or to post on a bulletin board at your local store.