Leeanne Black has been giving blood since college, but it wasn’t until a recent American Red Cross blood drive that someone said to her, “Thank you for being a hero for babies.”
It was only then that Leanne learned her blood is rare. She is one of just 15 percent of the adult population in the United States who has not been exposed to CMV (Cytomegalovirus) in her life. While CMV is generally harmless to adults, it can be fatal to babies.
CMV is a common virus that infects people of all ages, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than half of adults have been infected by age 40.“Here in my 54 years, I never knew I had something special that could help babies,” Black said.
Babies needing transfusions as part of their medical care should only receive blood from donors with CMV negative blood. That’s why the Red Cross regularly tests for CMV antibodies. CMV negative blood is routed to hospitals with pediatric-specific needs every day.
For Black, she always thought of giving blood as a “no-brainer.”
“I mean, why not? It’s a minor inconvenience that could help someone in real need. It could be my family, my neighbor,” Black said.
Now, she said, she’s even more motivated to give.“It was cool to learn about my CMV negative status, and it just inspires me to continue to donate,” Leanne said.
To learn more about different types of blood needs and to make an appointment to give, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or download the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
By Regional Communications Manager Alicia Dorr
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