Land O' Lakes, Florida
As a child growing up in the Dominican Republic, I knew nothing about the impact one can have by donating blood. It was just something my country did not promote.
At age of 11, my mother was suffering from fibroids and needed surgery. She had lost so much blood by the time of her diagnosis and surgery determination that in order to even consider her surgery, the hospital was requiring 3 pints of blood, which my family would have to purchase.
However, my mother is 0-negative. I remember my family desperately searching for blood of such type with almost no luck. At my house, only one of my brothers had her blood type. We were desperate. We were losing our mother. Until we have that call of a found donor.
Years later I moved to Florida and came across the Big Red Bus after church. Without blinking I entered that bus and became a donor. Even volunteered later as a donor recruiter. At home, we are all donors.
My mother is an amazing woman, fabulous mom and grandmother. She shaped the woman/mother I later became. All of this was possible due to that blood donation. So every time I donate, I think of all the mothers my donation will save.
