For Osbaldo Vega, donating blood has always been a meaningful way to make a difference.

“I do it to help others, for any urgent situation,” he said.

Since he began donating around 2015, Osbaldo has made the regular drive from Jackpot, Nev., to Twin Falls, Idaho — proud to do his part for patients in need. What he didn’t expect was that one of those visits would end up helping him, too.

Before every donation, donors like Osbaldo receive a free Red Cross mini health screening — a quick check that helps ensure they are healthy enough to give blood. In about 10 to 15 minutes, donors have their temperature, pulse and blood pressure checked, along with their hemoglobin or iron levels. These results are available in the Red Cross Blood Donor App, giving donors helpful information they can also share with their doctor.

Periodically throughout the year, the American Red Cross also offers free A1C testing to blood donors — a simple test that provides insight into a person’s average blood sugar levels over the past three months and can help identify if they may have diabetes or prediabetes.

When Osbaldo first learned the test would be included, he didn’t hesitate.

“I was excited to see what they were gonna say about it,” he said.

But when his results came back through the Red Cross Blood Donor App and in an email, they revealed something he hadn’t seen coming.

He was prediabetic.

“This is the first indication that I’ve got about it,” he said. “It was nerve-wracking when I saw it.”

Taking charge of his health

Prediabetes often develops without symptoms, leaving many people unaware they’re at risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 8.7 million people in the U.S. have undiagnosed diabetes, and approximately 80 percent of people with prediabetes are unaware they have it.

For Osbaldo, the free A1C test provided an early warning — and a chance to act.

He didn’t wait.

“So, I cut back on the sugar, the beverages, the food, the snacks, everything,” he said. “And I’m drinking more water.”

“I am doing more walking and exercising and just kind of checking to see what I eat and drink.”

He also spoke with his doctor and began paying closer attention to his blood sugar levels, using what he learned to stay proactive about his health.

Today, he continues to donate blood — still motivated by the same desire to help others — but now with an added sense of gratitude for the unexpected benefit he received.

Free A1C testing

The Red Cross will offer free A1C testing again in November, during Diabetes Awareness Month — a time dedicated to encouraging people to learn their risk and take steps toward prevention.

To find a blood drive near you and schedule an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter your ZIP code. Donating takes less than an hour, and a single donation can help save more than one life.