Doug Oakley didn’t plan to become a living testament to the power of blood donation until one moment on a motorcycle changed everything.
“Really, I’m here because the Red Cross saved my life,” Doug said.
Several years ago, Doug, from Oak Island, North Carolina, was in a severe motorcycle accident that, as his doctors told him later, should have been fatal. His injuries were extreme, and his survival depended on blood, something no one can manufacture or stockpile without people stepping forward.
“I required a lot of blood,” Doug explains. “And it was the availability of blood from the Red Cross that actually saved my life.”
Doug explained that he didn’t know who those donors were, but people who took an hour out of an ordinary day to give blood, were the reason he stayed alive.
Once he recovered, he wanted to give back in a meaningful way to say “thank you.”
“I organized a blood drive with the Red Cross, as a means of paying back for all the blood that I had used after the motorcycle accident,” Doug said.
That blood drive became another major life event, one that would save his life all over again.
During his health screening process prior to giving blood, Doug learned something unexpected. He wasn’t allowed to donate.
“My hemoglobin was extremely low,” he recalls. “So, I was not qualified to donate blood. In fact, they weren’t even sure why I was qualified to stand up.”
At the Red Cross’ urging, Doug went to see his doctor right away. After an examination, the news that followed was devastating as Doug learned he had a very rare form of blood cancer.
“It could only be cured with what’s called a stem cell transplant,” Doug explained.
Suddenly, blood wasn’t just something that had saved him once. It became a constant, urgent need for him to survive.
“I required blood about every eight to 10 days,” Doug said. “They sometimes had to go to other cities to find the blood that would match with me.”
The stem cell transplant process requires collecting healthy blood-forming stem cells through apheresis, which the American Red Cross often processes, freezes, and stores. Following high-dose chemotherapy to destroy diseased marrow, these cells are infused into the patient like a blood transfusion to generate new, healthy blood cells.
Six months into needing frequent transfusions, hope finally came in the form of a matching stem cell donor. Doug underwent a successful transplant and today, he is cancer free!
“The Red Cross really went on to save my life a second time as well,” he said.
Doug wanted to shared his story because most people never realize how close they are to needing blood until they do. Accidents. Cancer. Surgeries. Complications. Emergencies don’t send warnings.
“It’s about every two seconds somebody needs blood,” Doug said. “The math is simple. It saved my life. I don’t know how to put it any simpler than that.”
Doug gives all the credit to blood donors and the American Red Cross as to why he healthy, grateful, and alive.
“Please donate to your nearest Red Cross,” Doug says. “Donate blood.”
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