Jessica Gavin of Irving, Texas, is a first-time platelet donor. She received a call from the American Red Cross to make a platelet donation. Without hesitation, she answered the call.

She had been an active blood donor before Gavin gave her first platelet donation. Her blood journey dates back to 2009, when she was in high school. What started as a way to get out of class for a day became a passion for donating. As a blood drive organizer at her school, Gavin’s job was to send students to the donation site at their scheduled appointment time.

She has stayed involved by donating blood at her high school, where she is now a teacher. “You feel better when you donate, and you’re helping people.”

Gavin described the experience as slightly different from a routine blood donation. “You have a needle in two arms instead of one. The team here makes you feel comfortable with a blanket, TV and snacks. They also educate you on the platelet donation process and answer any questions.”

“Donating platelets is a great thing to do. It costs you nothing.” Gavin shared how her first platelet donation was easy and plans to continue donating platelets. “I chose to donate platelets to the Red Cross because all they did was ask me the question. The question is all it takes.” 

Platelets play a critical role in the treatment of millions of Americans fighting cancer, chronic diseases and traumatic injuries. Every 30 seconds, someone needs platelets. Since platelets must be used within five days of donation, platelet donors are constantly needed.

You can schedule a platelet donation appointment using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767).