Photos and story by: Ray Lapine, Northwest Region Volunteer 

Maggie McKee donates blood because she is proud of her mom.

“My mom has volunteered with the Red Cross for a few years, she's deployed and I've always been really proud of it,” she told us.

Maggie is not in a position to be away from home for two weeks like her mom, but she can make the time to donate blood."It's something I can tangibly do,” she says. “And I know how much it helps people.”

But of course, there is more to it than that.

“I had a friend whose baby needed a transfusion as soon as it was born” is another reason Maggie gives blood.

“It's an easy thing to do, takes twenty minutes, and why not?”

The American Red Cross must collect enough blood every day to meet the needs of accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.

Eligible individuals are encouraged to schedule a blood or platelet donation appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor app, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767).