by Anton Ghosh
When newlywed Mary Nelson, her husband and about 30 friends met in a Bay Area parking lot one Saturday morning in 1969 to carpool to a blood donation center, little did she know it would lead to a life-long journey dedicated to donating blood. That journey has provided her with a deep, personal belief in the power of donating.
Mary’s story starts at a popular diner in Alameda, California which Mary and her husband frequented weekly. One day, they discovered that the diner’s well-liked chef needed emergency kidney surgery. He required almost 10 pints of blood. As Mary explains, the chef “had to either pay for the blood or replace it, two pints donated for each used. So, we got organized. My husband called the blood bank to see if they did group appointments and scheduled a Saturday. And the bar put up a signup sheet.”
With that sign-up sheet in-hand, Mary and her husband organized the Saturday carpool and drove to the Red Cross blood center on Claremont Avenue in Oakland. The group replaced all the blood the chef used and added some to the center’s supply. Afterwards, they went to a local pub for food. “And a good time was had by all,” says Mary. Since then, the friends have lost touch but the memories have lasted.
Indeed, Mary remembers that experience clearly. It was her first time donating blood, so she was nervous despite her husband’s reassurances. As Mary recounts, “I was next to my husband and all went very well. The nurses were very kind and I thought I was relaxed. Until the nurse looked at me and asked if I felt ok. It seems I was about the color of the [hospital bed] sheet. She had me raise my knees and take deep breaths. I had passed out for a second or two. But I got to stay in a quiet room for a while with extra hot chocolate and cookies. All was good.”
Since that initial experience, Mary has donated about five gallons of blood. She always donates at the Red Cross and has “never thought about going anywhere else.” She says, “I’ve never missed it. I’ve never had a bad experience. The staff have always been both kind and very professional.”
“I’ve never missed it. I’ve never had a bad experience. The staff have always been both kind and very professional.”
Mary Nelson
Mary is such a believer in the power of blood donation that in the 1990’s she organized blood drives at work as part of United Way Month. She recounts fondly how the young employees at work struggled to tell her, who was old enough to be their mother, that they were scared of needles. “I used to nag them a little. That was fun,” she chuckles.
An experience closer to home helped reinforce Mary’s belief in the power of blood donations. About seven years ago, Mary’s husband needed lots of blood and ultimately, a triple bypass surgery. “I was really glad we had donated over the years. I felt much better about using blood,” Mary says. For the second time, she saw the direct impact blood donations could have on a person, this time her husband.
Today, Mary considers herself an “ambassador” for donating blood. “I speak quite openly about donating blood. Lots of people are scared of the idea, then find out the reality is much easier than they thought. And as I pointed out to them, you get an hour off work. And they give you juice and cookies! There’s no downside.” Indeed, Mary’s deep history with giving blood and the profound impact it has had on her life makes her a perfect ambassador for donating.
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