Port Richey, Florida
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Rachel M.
We have always been told how important it is to donate blood, but you never truly realize how important it is until it becomes something needed to keep you alive. Hello, my name is Rachel, sister of Officer Valdes, and I have Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). AML is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Since being diagnosed I have received many blood and platelet transfusions and without them I wouldn’t be here today.
Blood transfusions cannot cure AML, but they can help manage my symptoms and improve my quality of life. These transfusions help reduce the symptoms of anemia, prevent, or treat bleeding associated with a low platelet count, and help increase white blood cells to fight infections. Donating blood not only helps me but helps others fighting this cancer. Just one donation can save up to three lives! I cannot begin to find the words of gratitude knowing that each one of you donating today could potentially be saving my life in the future! Thank you to FCCD, the Florida Department of Corrections, OneBlood, and you for being a donor!