For Denise Burk, serving as a Red Cross volunteer and board member is extremely personal. In 2021, the now-49-year-old Great Falls banking professional was diagnosed with breast cancer, which ultimately caused anemia and led her to require several blood transfusions.

“I am here today because some kind stranger, whom I will never meet, donated blood,” Denise said. “I am now in remission, have a surgery or two still ahead, but the hill to climb getting here was more that I would ever wish upon anyone.

“I don’t think people realize the enormity of what that blood in the bag means. You don't know whose life you are going to save when giving blood, so if you have the capability of donating blood, please remember the (Red Cross).”

In 2021, Denise began chemotherapy and radiation treatments to fight breast cancer. These treatments eventually cured her cancer but also caused her red blood-cell level to become critically low. She was not surprised by this because as a young woman she experienced bouts of anemia.

“The chemo made me extremely sick,” she said. “But the doctor kept saying, ‘this will work.’ But it had the opposite effect for me because I became anemic.

The oncologist looked right at me and said, ‘We have to get you blood, and now.’”

Denise received eight units of either whole blood or platelets over a span of a month and a half.

ear the end of her cancer journey, she was diagnosed with COVID pneumonia and received the final two units of blood for her anemia diagnosis while she was hospitalized fighting that severe respiratory illness.

“It was a harrowing year,” Denise recalled.

 “I will most likely never be able to donate blood again, but my hope is that I can give back in meaningful, heartfelt ways,” she added.

She was a sporadic blood donor in her 20s, donating only when her anemia was under control.

One of the most notable ways she gives back now is by serving as a Montana Red Cross board member.

It’s a role that fits nicely with her professional and volunteer endeavors. This year marks Denise’s 10^th with US Bank, the last five of which she has worked as the Montana/Wyoming payment solutions market manager. She is also currently attending Capella University to complete her bachelor’s degree in business administration.

In addition to joining the Red Cross board, Burk has a long history of volunteerism, having served as the vice president of the Great Falls Tourism District, the Montana Hotel Association sales and marketing board of directors, the Great Falls YWCA board and worked hand-in-hand with the Great Falls Chamber of Commerce.

“Since my breast cancer sickness, I have spent a limited amount of volunteer time in the public, but I do spend a good number of volunteer hours every month working with the American Red Cross,” she explained.

After the chemotherapy and blood infusions, Denise lost 80 pounds and still had to undergo radiation treatments. Finally, in February 2022, her doctor announced that her cancer was officially in remission.

Today, she focuses on giving back to the community that helped her through her cancer success story.

“There are things in this community you can do to help. Across the state, the Red Cross has a nice footprint we can use to help other communities, as well,” she added.

“As people living in our community, we need to make sure we are giving our time and energy in ways outside of how we are already spending our time,” she said. “Being out in the community gives you a different perspective on how you can best spend your time.”

She likens her perspective to that of the childhood favorite, Mr. Rogers.

“I want to know I am being that helper person,” she said. “Mr. Rogers always said to look for the helpers; ‘they are always there.’”

GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE

Never given blood before? Now’s a great time to start. A donation takes less than an hour and can save more than one life. Learn more and find a blood drive near you at RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.