By Selena Nisha

“My Grandmother basically raised me after my father passed away because my mom was working full time to support us kids,” said Olga Vasquez, whose father died when she was seven-years-old. “She made me crocheted blankets, embroidered dish towels, and gave me China sets and glassware that she had been given as wedding sets when she was young. We’d go to the San José Flea Market almost every month. She would teach me how to cook recipes she learned from her mom, we even enjoyed watching soap operas together, “General Hospital” being our favorite,” Olga reminisced.

Olga’s unbreakable bond with her grandmother led to a commitment to the American Red Cross. Olga remembers the time when her grandmother needed three blood transfusions after she underwent a heart surgery. During those first three years after the surgery, Olga states she became aware of how much the community relied on the blood supplied by Red Cross blood donors. These vulnerable moments impacted Olga greatly and inspired her to help anyone facing a crisis like the one her grandmother experienced.

Born and raised in San José, California, Olga began donating blood to the Red Cross in 1986. She has remained an active blood donor at the North First Street location and notes that the people she encounters there feel like a big family. She states, “It feels like a homecoming every time I return.”

Olga continues to donate blood because she made a special commitment to her grandmother, who passed away when Olga was in her 20’s. She said, “I’m there because I promised my grandmother I would for as long as I could.”

Not only is Olga able to help adults by donating her blood, but she is also able to help save the lives of premature babies as well. She states, “To be able to donate blood at all is a gift since I know not many can do this. To be able to donate for premature babies is just awe inspiring. I have a kid of my own now, she’s in her 30’s. I can’t even imagine the sorrow that losing a child would bring. Anything I can do to help someone facing that kind of family crisis, I will do. A simple thing like a blood donation can mean the world to another family facing that kind of emergency for their baby.”

Olga believes her efforts are worth it. “Sometimes things we consider insignificant, unimportant, or not worth the time and effort, the smallest of things, whether a simple smile, holding the door open for a stranger on crutches, or donating roughly an hour out of your time to help the community, these things could mean the whole world to someone else,” she said. “You just never know what you leave behind as you pave your path through the world.”

We thank her for the continuous support to the Red Cross by being an integral part of our blood donor community. Her influence on peers and the lasting impact she has by saving lives donating blood does not go unnoticed. If you are inspired by Olga’s story and would like to learn more about the blood donation process and schedule a donation appointment, visit redcrossblood.org.