For Nichole Jordan, recruiting diverse blood donors is personal. She is committed to spreading awareness of sickle cell disease, the most common genetic blood disorder in the U.S. for which regular blood transfusions are critical to managing extreme pain and other life-threatening complications. Nichole is all too familiar with the devastating effects of sickle cell disease — it cut short the life of her best friend and older brother, Maurice ‘Edan’ Jordan, in 2019. Today, Nichole is honoring Edan’s legacy through her advocacy of the American Red Cross Sickle Cell Initiative as a Red Cross Bay Area board member and beyond.
Growing up in a military family, Nichole learned to adapt to change, but one constant in her life was the friendship of her older brother, Edan. Edan suffered from poor health throughout his life because of sickle cell disease, often fainting in school and at high altitudes. Regular blood transfusions were a crucial part of his treatment. In 2019, Edan experienced a painful episode when traveling across the country to say his final goodbyes to their grandmother. Nichole stayed by his hospital bedside for hours as they waited for a blood transfusion to ease his pain. Complications from this pain crisis ended his life far too short, at the age of 46.
“Edan lived with this debilitating disease his entire life,” Nichole said. “In his final moments, I was in the emergency room with him waiting on a blood transfusion. That moment changed my life. I realized how important access to blood is.”
Although sickle cell disease was discovered over a century ago, there is limited research and treatments available to patients, as well as a limited number of health care providers with expertise in treating the disease. People with sickle cell disease usually have less access to comprehensive care and more difficulty in obtaining medication for pain relief than people with other chronic diseases.
“Diversifying our blood donor pool helps ensure closely matched blood products are available for patients with sickle cell disease,” Nichole said. “The Red Cross Sickle Cell Initiative addresses this health disparities associated with the disease by increasing much-needed blood donations from Black individuals through community partnerships.”
Last fall, Nichole hosted a community blood drive in honor of her brother.
“When it comes to recruiting diverse blood donors, we need to be more assertive at asking,” she said. “I was amazed at how many of my friends had never given blood before.
“If anyone is considering making a blood donation, know that it is the easiest way to save a life. Our body will replenish what we donate, and the blood donation process usually takes 8-10 minutes. It’s an easy thing to do and you’re helping save lives.”
As a fierce advocate for this initiative, Nichole has been deeply engaged in the work of the Red Cross. Since joining her local Board, Nichole has also joined the Tiffany Circle, a community of women committed to advancing the Red Cross mission through focused investments of time, talent, and treasure.
“What makes the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle different is the special care taken to ensure that we are not only appreciated, but that we are educated,” Nichole said. “A highlight of last year for me was the visit to the Pomona Blood Donation Center in my community, where Tiffany Circle members had the opportunity to tour the facility and leave with a greater understanding of the blood donation process, the challenges, and how our donations truly make an impact.”
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In addition to volunteering for the American Red Cross, Nichole is an active leader for several other non-profit organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.®, the Links, Inc., and Oakland’s Twenty Pearls Foundation. She holds degrees from U.C. Davis and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and has had a successful 25-year career in Customer Success, currently serving as Chief Operating Officer for Indr Software. In her free time, she is passionate about mentoring women of color and enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, wine tasting and reading.
Thank you, Nichole, for honoring your brother’s legacy by shedding light on sickle cell disease and being such a wonderful champion of the Red Cross. The Tiffany Circle is excited to support future blood drives in Edan’s honor and further our progress on the Sickle Cell Initiative.
