Blood donations are a lifeline for patients in need.
The Red Cross urges donors to return and keep the nation’s blood supply strong.
Marina Nichols is one of nearly 500,000 first-time blood donors who helped save lives this year. Like many, Marina’s fear of needles had always prevented her from donating — but this year, divine intervention stepped in to help her overcome that fear. When she saw the American Red Cross partnership with PEANUTS® this fall, it felt like her beloved Grammy was speaking to her. Her Grammy was obsessed with PEANUTS, and her favorite characters were Snoopy and Woodstock.
“Well, that's like a call out from beyond if I've ever heard one,” Marina shared. “So, I was like, ‘I need to go like today,’ because if I don’t, I know I’m going to chicken out and talk myself out of it. So, I found one [a blood drive] in Columbia that day, and I just went. It was a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing.”
Marina’s Grammy had been very sick for the last 20 years of her life and had been given more time to spend with Marina in part because of lifesaving blood transfusions thanks to the generosity of blood donors.
“It was one of those ways where I could not only honor her by doing this, but I know that I'm helping people whose loved ones are at risk like mine,” she said.
VOLUNTEER BLOOD DONORS A LIFELINE FOR PATIENTS Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood—whether it’s a trauma patient fighting to survive, a mother welcoming a newborn, or an individual courageously battling cancer or sickle cell disease. Blood transfusions are only possible thanks to the generosity of strangers. Their donations are not just a medical necessity; they are a lifeline.
Over the past year, nearly half a million people donated blood for the very first time, joining a national community committed to saving lives. Each of these donors demonstrated that extraordinary impact can come from an ordinary act of generosity. Together, they helped ensure patients received the blood products they needed when it mattered most.
Yet historically, only about one-third of first-time donors return to give again the following year, a challenge that underscores the vulnerability of the nation’s blood supply. Unlike other medical treatments, blood is perishable, can’t be stockpiled and must be constantly replenished.
THANK YOU FOR SAVING LIVES Whether someone came out to give blood for the first time or for the 100th time, their willingness to roll up a sleeve changed lives and saved lives. Every donation strengthens the entire community, ensuring hospitals are ready for emergencies and families have hope when seconds count.
The need is constant. The impact is extraordinary. Every donor helps save lives.
Make an appointment to give blood or platelets by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). If you’re unable to give, consider making a financial donation to support our lifesaving mission.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.
Support all the urgent humanitarian needs of the American Red Cross.
Find a drive and schedule a blood donation appointment today.
Take a class and be ready to respond if an emergency strikes.
