For Alexis Gonzalez, Regional Communications Manager, her career with the American Red Cross gives her a daily opportunity to serve the community in different ways. She knows that this work would not be possible without the support and trust of the people she serves, especially the Latino community.

“I grew up in a Hispanic community, speaking both Spanish and English and experiencing what it means to be Latina in the United States,” she said. “That’s why it’s important to me that people know we’re here to help everyone. Whether it’s guiding people to a shelter during a disaster or helping a family register for blood donation, being bilingual allows me to connect with people in their language and make them feel more comfortable.

From Donor to Patient

Last year, a medical emergency turned Alexis from someone who encouraged blood donation into someone who depended on it herself. After three days of severe stomach pain and black stools, she ended up in the hospital.

“I couldn’t even sit down. I was curled up in a fetal position,” she recalled.

The doctors told Alexis she had three blood clots in the veins connected to her liver, as well as severe anemia, and that she would need two units of blood.

“I had never been hospitalized before, and I felt overwhelmed and scared,” she said. Then I realized that every day at work, I ask people to donate blood and explain why it’s so important. I donate blood myself every 56 days.

“All of a sudden, I was living through the very experience I had always talked about but had never personally experienced.”

The “silver lining” during this experience, Alexis says, was that when she was asked about her blood type, she confidently knew it was B+ and had immediate access to her medical information through the Blood Donor App.

 “Before receiving the blood, I felt awful,” Alexis said. “I was dizzy and very, very weak. After I received the blood, my family told me I had color back in my face and that they could see more life in me. I could already feel that I wasn’t as weak as before.”

Once in recovery, Alexis mentioned to her nurse that she worked for the Red Cross and asked whether there was any way to find out where the blood had come from.

Two incredible connections emerged. The nurse’s son was a Red Cross volunteer Alexis had met during a training just two weeks earlier, and the blood itself had been supplied by the American Red Cross.

“At that moment, for me, it was a full-circle experience,” she said. “It made me realize that all the work I’ve done over the last two years with the Red Cross had impacted me personally. Now I can honestly say that every donation truly reaches someone who needs it.

“The two units of blood I received came from two people who took the time to donate, and those donations saved my life.

“I know that many people in the Latino community are hesitant to donate blood. But I can tell them that their blood is their superpower and that by donating blood, they have the power to share life with someone else.”

Returning to give back

A few weeks ago, fully recovered, Alexis donated blood again and reached a major milestone ─ she donated her first gallon.

“I feel proud and honored to be able to help someone in need and I hope to inspire others to donate, because we need each other,” she said.

This National Hispanic Heritage Month, the American Red Cross thanks the more than 195,000 Latino blood donors who donated blood last year. Your generosity helped save lives and strengthen communities across the country.  To continue supporting our mission of saving lives, schedule an appointment using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or visit RedCrossBlood.org to find a nearby donation center. 

Schedule your blood, platelet, or AB Elite plasma donation today. As a special thank you, donors will receive a $15 e-gift card to the merchant of their choice.