James Guarrera turned 73 on June 19, the day of the Red Cross “I Bleed for Preston and Steve” blood drive. He heard about it on his favorite radio station 93.3 WMMR, the station that broadcasts the Preston & Steve Morning Show.

The one gift he most wanted for his birthday was for his family to donate blood together. So, he brought them with him. You are about to meet a whole family of blood donors. 

Giving a gift on your own birthday

Guarrera started donating blood years ago when his dad was in a construction accident.

“I've been giving for a few years now. I'm up to 87 units,” he said. He donates platelets, plasma and whole blood, which he donated at the drive.

“It's a good thing for people to give. It doesn't take you that long. It's not painful and you're helping somebody. So, this is my way today, on my birthday, to give a gift to somebody.”

Granddaughter builds up her iron to donate

Guarrera’s granddaughter Taylor Sparks, who turned 20 the week after the blood drive, first donated in high school but had to wait a year before giving again because her iron was too low. That didn’t discourage her.

She increased the amount of red meat in her diet and took daily iron supplements – all so she could donate blood whenever possible. On the day of the blood drive, she wasn’t feeling well and couldn’t give.

A shared blood type means two family members are universal donors

“I wasn't eligible today, but it's my grandfather's birthday, and he donates blood all the time. He's very passionate about giving his blood,” she said.

Taylor and her grandfather both have an O negative blood type. “We like to give our blood. It's universal,” she said.

O negative blood is considered the universal donor blood type because it can be transfused into any patient. In an emergency, when doctors don’t have time to figure out what type of blood a patient has, they use universal type O blood.

Daughter donates for the first time and son-in-law is a longtime donor

Taylor’s stepdad Frank Kreider has donated blood many times this year already, including three platelet donations.

“It's just an easy thing that we can do to help people,” he said.

Taylor’s blood drive appointment went to her mom Danine, Guarrera’s daughter who stepped in to donate for the first time.

“It's great to give, and I felt good. I was a little nervous, but I'm okay,” she said.

Teen grandson's donation is a way of saying 'Happy Birthday'

The blood donations didn’t stop there. Taylor’s brother James Sparks is a rising high school junior. He wanted to do his part to honor his grandfather too.

“It's my grandpop's birthday, and I've never given before.” He said, “It was a little birthday present for him.”

What's a Power Red donation?

For his first time giving blood, James chose a Power Red donation, which the American Red Cross says has “twice the lifesaving power,” because it allows people to safely donate nearly double the amount of red blood cells.

A special machine is used so plasma and platelets get returned to you during the donation.

Coming from a family of blood donors, James was happy to celebrate his grandfather on his special day. He felt like it was his duty to “give a little bit of blood back to people who need it.”

Guarrera’s family planned to take him out to lunch after the blood drive, but he may have felt like he already unwrapped his present.

“It's my birthday gift to get everybody to come,” he said.

Blood supply recovering but vulnerable

Thanks to the generosity of thousands of people who rolled up a sleeve this summer, the blood supply continues to recover from critically low levels. As we enter September, the blood supply remains vulnerable — especially as we approach new seasonal challenges such as back-to-school activities that can cause donors to be less available to give, and the ongoing potential for tropical systems in the Atlantic, which can further threaten the blood supply by disrupting blood drives.

By making and keeping appointments now, donors can help the Red Cross ensure lifesaving blood products are on hand wherever they are needed, including communities where donations may not be possible due to severe summer weather and natural disasters. 

If you’ve been thinking about donating but haven’t made your appointment yet, consider what first-time blood donor Danine said, “Give, because people need it. You never know who you're going to help.”

To learn more about donating blood or to find a blood drive near you, go to RedCrossBlood.org.

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- Written by Jenny Farley