By: Evan Peterson

Making a great first impression is tough, but doing it a second time – that’s even more impressive. Members of Georgia’s ‘Jack and Jill of America’ took that to heart and doubled down on their commitment to helping people in need by donating blood for the second year in a row.

On December 17th, Jazmine Asare, and her mother Jackie, volunteered their time walking around a blood donation site saying thank you. In the donation chairs, members of the ‘Jack and Jill of America’ organization from across Georgia donated blood in support of people in need of this life-saving resource, like Jazmine who has sickle cell disease.

“I wanted to educate people and tell people, why it’s important, and how it can help people like me who have sickle cell. It’s important to give blood,” says Jazmine who went on to add that when she is sick or feeling unwell, a single donation makes a world of difference for her.

“After getting blood I feel this instant burst of energy. I remember going around the hospital just shouting ‘thank you, thank you!”

Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. More than 100,000 individuals nationwide are suffering from sickle cell disease, the majority of whom are of African descent. Many may require regular blood transfusions to help manage and treat complications of the disease.

Jazmine's mother recognizes that blood donation is no small gift, which is why she also goes out of the way to thank people for their generosity, “I will urge you, if you are eligible to donate blood, to go ahead and do it because there is a child lying in a bed somewhere, a mother holding her hand, and the blood is the solution to saving their lives – it was for my daughter.”

When the donation chairs finally found themselves empty at the end of the day, collection totals hinted at the drive’s success. More than 120 people came to the event, with 85 people who donated, and roughly half of those were first-time donors. This resulted in 65 blood units being collected, potentially saving 195 people’s lives.

Nationwide, Jack and Jill of America boasts 252 chapters, representing more than 40,000 family members. Each chapter plans annual programming activities guided under a general five-point programmatic thrust: cultural awareness, educational development, health (education and advocacy), civic (legislative advocacy and service), and social/recreational areas. Through service projects, Jack and Jill of America create a medium of contact for children to stimulate their growth and development. Through lobbying, educational programming, dissemination of educational materials, and the organization of community and charitable events, Jack and Jill have promoted the public awareness and interests of children including child development, child growth, child quality of life, child care, and the promotion of children’s rights.

Thank you to the members of the ‘Jack and Jill of America organization who came out to support the blood drive this past weekend. If you feel inspired to contribute and make a donation, appointments can be scheduled by visiting redcrossblood.org.