By Lyra Alvis

What began as a routine diagnosis of uterine fibroids turned into a life-changing journey for Aprile Futrell—a Nashville native, devoted mother to a teenage son, committed public school employee and the founder of Give Glean Grow. Beyond her work and advocacy, Aprile finds joy in solving puzzles, vibing to ’90s R&B and rewatching her favorite classic sitcoms.

Futrell has dealt with uterine fibroids since the early 2000s, and experienced little to no complications until 2018. After months of unexplained exhaustion, dangerously heavy bleeding and monthly visits to the emergency room, Futrell started feeling an excruciating heart pain in February 2018. She went back to the ER where doctors eventually discovered Futrell’s hemoglobin level was at a critical level of 5.3 g/dL. For reference, 12-15.5 g/dL is the healthy hemoglobin level for women.

Doctors admitted her immediately, and over the next three days, she received three life-saving pints of blood and underwent surgery to remove the fibroid. The procedure was a success, and she went on to make a remarkable recovery.

Before her health scare, Futrell had never thought much about blood donation. However, now, she says, she thinks about it all the time.

 “I was that ‘someone else’ you hear about on the news,” Futrell recalled. “And because someone took the time to donate, I’m still here, alive, a mother, a friend and an advocate.”

Although she’s currently unable to donate blood due to ongoing anemia, Futrell has developed a passion for spreading awareness of uterine fibroids and advocating for blood donation. She openly shares her story through her organization, Give Glean Grow. Give Glean Grow is a fibroid awareness and educational platform that operates as a nonprofit organization. She organizes events where facts and resources are shared about blood donation, uterine fibroids and other topics relating to women’s health. She hopes to host her first official American Red Cross blood drive this year.

 “There are so many myths and questions that keep people from donating,” she explained. “But if they heard real stories, if they knew someone like me, maybe they’d realize just how much impact their donation could have.”

Every blood donation to the American Red Cross helps to ensure that patients like Futrell get the critical transfusions they need. Whether they’re recovering from surgery, trauma, cancer treatments, or chronic conditions like sickle cell disease, donated blood saves lives every day.

Because of blood donations, Futrell has more time with her son, more chances to dance to ‘90s R&B, more puzzles to piece together and a lifelong mission to pay it forward.

If you are interested in donating blood, you can learn more and find a drive near you by visiting RedCrossBlood.org.