Written by Amy Miller and Amber Youngblood

Building greenhouses. Serving meals to neighbors in need. Attending blood drives hosted by his fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., at the University of Louisville. Serving as president of Brothers United, a UofL student organization focused on brotherhood, scholarship, community service and increasing the success of men of color.

These are just a few of the ways Joseph Riley stays connected to his community.

Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Joseph is a junior Public Health major at the University of Louisville with dreams of becoming a healthcare administrator. Whether he’s leading a student organization, serving others or simply showing up for the people around him, Joseph says one thing has always remained constant.

“No matter what role I’m in, one thing has always stayed the same: I care deeply about serving people and leaving my community better than I found it.”

What people may not always see is what it has taken for Joseph to be able to do all of those things.

Joseph has lived with sickle cell anemia his entire life. It’s something he never asked for, but it has shaped who he is. There have been days when he felt completely normal, and there have been others when the pain was so intense he couldn’t get out of a hospital bed.

“People often don’t see those moments,” Joseph said. “They see me smiling, volunteering, leading organizations or showing up for others, but they don’t always see what it took just to make it there.”

For Joseph, blood donors have played an important role in helping him keep moving forward. Throughout his life, he has needed blood transfusions and red blood cell exchanges to help treat complications associated with sickle cell disease. As part of managing sickle cell disease, Joseph spends several hours at the hospital once a month where he receives about 8 units of blood.

Every bag of blood he received came from someone who took time out of their day to help someone they would likely never meet.

“That’s incredible when you really think about it,” Joseph said. “Their kindness gave me more time with my family, more opportunities to serve my community and the chance to keep chasing my dreams.”

That’s why blood donation matters so much to Joseph.

When you donate blood, you’re not just giving blood. You’re giving someone the opportunity to go back to school, return to work, spend another birthday with their family, or simply live with a little less pain.

For people like Joseph living with sickle cell disease, a blood donation can be life changing.

“Blood transfusions make it possible for me to go out and do what I want to do. Without them, my personality isn’t always there,” said Joseph.

As part of his goal of becoming a hospital administrator, he hopes to one day create care teams to help sickle cell patients undergoing treatment. For now, he continues to show up for his community through his service and advocacy. He helps bring awareness about sickle cell disease by being part of the advisory board for the Sickle Cell Association of Kentuckiana, and encourages blood donors through blood drives hosted by his fraternity alongside the American Red Cross.

“If my story encourages even one more person to donate blood, then sharing it is worth it,” Joseph said. “Because somewhere, someone is waiting for the gift that only another person can give.”

Sickle cell disease is a common, inherited red blood disorder. Throughout their lives, individuals with sickle cell disease can suffer a range of conditions, including acute anemia, tissue and organ damage, terrible pain and even strokes.  Your blood donation could be what patients with sickle cell disease need to treat their condition. Learn more about sickle cell disease and how you can help.