NOTE: The first full week of September is designated as National Blood Donation Week. Established in 2016, the week raises awareness for the continual need for lifesaving blood and the importance of donors in keeping hospital shelves stocked. Below is the story of one those donors.

Linda Adams was 28 and living in Eastern Washington when a complication during pregnancy made her realize just how important a steady and stable blood supply can be. She had a tubal pregnancy, which led to a rupture and internal bleeding.

Before it was all said and done, she required three pints of lifesaving blood.

“I could have very easily died if I had not been given a transfusion,” the Homedale, Idaho, woman said. “It was lifesaving moment for me when they were able to give me that blood back.

“(The medical staff) kind of made a joke and said if it weren’t for your brown eyes we wouldn’t be able to see you on the white sheets you were so pale.”

For the past 30 years, Linda has been a frequent blood donor. She had many other difficult pregnancies through the years – requiring several blood transfusions and driving home just how important blood can be.

She said she was a little hesitant to roll up her sleeve at first because needles make her queasy, but she quickly learned to get passed that.

“I thought ‘I can sacrifice this much to help somebody live.’ I was like ‘suck it up,’” she said. “And I’ve overcome that over the years. You just get used to doing it.”

Her husband Don also is a regular donor and encouraged Linda to give. Don is CMV negative, making him the perfect donor for babies. Babies should receive blood only from donors who have not been exposed to CMV, a flu-like virus present in up to 85 percent of adults by age 40, making these donors extremely valuable.

“He’s got magic blood,” she said.

She enjoys the sense of shared purpose she gets while sitting alongside other donors at a drive. And she’s even begun volunteering at Caldwell drives as a blood donor ambassador, welcoming donors as they come through the door.

“It’s kind of a neat feeling to be in a room when you’re all doing the same service for others,” she said. “It makes me feel good.”

And she strongly encourages others who may have never donated to give it a try and be someone’s lifeline – even those who cringe at the sight of a needle.

“Go for it,” she said. “Just search your heart and do what you feel is the right thing to do.”

Severe blood shortage

Right now, the American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage across the country. Red Cross is distributing 12 percent more blood products to hospitals across the U.S. versus this time last year. That means Red Cross needs to collect 1,000 more units each day to meet hospital demand. Cancer patients, accident victims, expecting moms and countless others depend on these blood products every day.

Find a drive near you and schedule an appointment today by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 800-RED-CROSS. A donation takes less than an hour and can potentially save three lives.

If you’re not eligible to donate but would still like to help, please consider volunteering at blood drives as a blood donor ambassador. These volunteers welcome donors, help schedule their next appointment and make sure they have a good experience. If you’re interested or want to learn more, send an email to IDMT.Recruiting@redcross.org or call/text 406-493-8778.