O Negative Donors - The Need is Critical

The summer is a notorious time for low donation numbers, and I have been saying this for some time, but now the need for O- donors has become critical. O- donors are true lifesavers as they are universal donors for all blood types.

This past week I was asked to record 2 messages - one urging O- negatives donors to do just that and the other to thank them. I thought I might share what that script sounds like. Here they are:

BVR #1 (Requesting Donors)

My name is Rebecca and I might be your neighbor, your co-worker, your sister, or even your daughter. I am someone whose life has been saved by a blood donor. I have a rare life-threatening case of anemia and I need regular blood transfusions so that I can participate in normal activities like spending time with my daughter. You have a critical blood type that is always in need and in demand. Your blood type, O negative, is not only rare and critical, but can be given to anyone of any blood type and is the most requested by hospitals. Please come out and donate again. The American Red Cross needs you now more than ever. People like me or even premature infants, people with sickle cell anemia, a friend battling cancer, and trauma patients depend on donors like you. Thank you for being a hero.

BVR #2 (Thank you for donating)

Hi, this is Rebecca again. I just wanted to say “thank you” if you donated blood recently. Blood donors are heroes and I thank you for helping people like me who need blood on a regular basis. If you didn’t get a chance to donate, you can find a list of blood drives and even make an appointment at redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS for more information. Thank you for being my hero.

While this is just one of many efforts my friends at the Red Cross utilize to entice donors, I must say, once again, that if you haven't donated in the last 56 days, please do so today. The need is great. The need it critical. The need is now.

Are you full blooded? (World Blood Donor Day 2010)

The 2010 World Blood Donor Day is upon us. The 2010 global campaign focuses on Young Donors, with the slogan "New blood for the world". It hopes that a new generation of idealistic and motivated voluntary unpaid blood donors will form a pool that provides the safest blood possible for use wherever and whenever it is needed to save life. In events and activities around the world, youth will be the focus of the day.

Recruiting and retaining young donors not only improves the long-term safety and sufficiency of a country’s blood supply, but also promotes safe and healthy lifestyles. Young people unable to donate for any reason can volunteer their service as advocates. With young people playing such a valuable role in helping to secure a safe and adequate blood supply, World Blood Donor Day is a good opportunity for governments, policymakers and blood programmes to thank them.

The 2010 global launch event will take place in Barcelona, Spain, hosted by the Spanish and Catalonian Health Care Authorities, the Spanish and Catalonian donor associations and the Spanish Red Cross.

Why did WBDD begin?

Blood transfusion is a vital component of health care. The threat to life due to insufficient blood stocks and the risk of transfusion-transmissible infections calls for a safe and adequate blood supply for all those requiring transfusion. As the need for blood increases globally, young people can make an important contribution by donating blood and by recruiting other young people to become donors.

The Fifty-Eighth World Health Assembly made a unanimous declaration of commitment and support for voluntary blood donation and Resolution WHA58.13 designated World Blood Donor Day as an annual event to be held each year on 14 June. While this day creates awareness of the importance of voluntary blood donation and encourages more people to become regular blood donors, it also celebrates and thanks all those who voluntarily donate their blood without any reward.

Websites you can visit to learn more:


http://www.wbdd.org/
http://www.fullblooded.org/




(The "sticking plaster" or "X" you see on the arm is up for vote to become the universal symbol for donating blood, visit the Fullblooded website above to vote and learn more)

Nexcare Gives for World Blood Donor Day

Can you believe it? It's been a year since I last told you about World Blood Donor Day (June 14) and that time of year is upon us again!

That's right, Monday is World Blood Donor Day and once again Nexcare is celebrating by donating bandages to America's Blood Centers across the US and if you visit www.nexcare.com/give you can even sign up to have some FREE sample bandages sent your way (there is a daily limit so sign up early in the day).

Also featured on the Nexcare site are the stories of volunteers, donors, recipients and more - even my story is there - visit the link in the right-side column. You can learn so much from others on the need for blood, I ask that you visit all of the stories and see where the inspiration is for you ~ celebrate World Blood Donor day be being a donor!

Blood Bank of Delmarva: New Donor Room Open!

This past weekend, my friends at the Blood Bank of Delmarva opened a brand new blood donor room - The Christiana Center. I had been expecting this opening for months, between construction and schedules, the opening date had been pushed back a bit from it's original projected date.

I was saddened that I was not able to be a part of the ribbon cutting as it fell on the same day as my daughter's recital, however, I'm very excited that there is even more opportunity for donors to save even more lives!
Already taking in donors, this center is state of the art for donors and for distribution. It provides confidence and security in knowing that donors will have safe environment to donate and that the supply is available for those in need.

The Blood Bank of Delmarva is a non-profit, community service program that provides blood for the 17 hospitals in Delaware and on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. More than 350blood donors are needed every day to meet the needs of patients at those hospitals. Their mission is to serve our community by meeting the needs of patients, hospitals, and members for safe, high quality blood products and related services. Each year, more than 20,000 patients in our area need blood transfusions to survive.

Let's join in the celebration of the opening of this beautiful facility and continue saving lives, one donor at a time!

A Family & Pageant Filled Weekend

So, this is another departure from my blogging-for-blood work, however, it was an incredibly busy weekend filled with family, friends, and lots of driving!

After practicing for a year, my daughter had her dance recital. Performing in a Jazz routine and a Lyrical routine, she was able to display her growing talent, and while she continues to ask about joining the competition dance team, I'm just so excited to see her passion begin to spark. She was absolutely beautiful on stage ~ I'm certainly a very proud momma!

After the recital, we had to make good time to get to Williamsburg in order to catch the Mrs. Virginia US Pageant. My dear friend, Darlene Deeben, was competing - we have known each other for years and what better way to show some love than to cheer loudly from the audience!



With a visit from one of my closest friends, Angela Smith, we cheer loud and made sure that our "Feisty" friend knew we were there for her. In the end, Darlene, did not win, but more importantly she is getting ready to celebrate 25 years of marriage - that is better than any crown she could have won that night!

I was able to see old friends and make a few new friends. I always love my friends from the world of pageantry - after all, who else is going to understand that sparkles at any time of the day is completely appropriate?

Congratulations to the new Mrs. VA US 2010, Angela Whittle - enjoy your reign!

(at Right with Heather Thompson, Mrs. VA International 2010)

(at Left, the new Mrs. VA US 2010, Angela Whittle with Marci McNair, Emcee)

All that Glitters in the Queendom

Taking a quick break from Blood Donor Advocacy, I was honored to be a part of the Queendom T.E.A. crowning ceremony this past weekend.

I was invited by a positively inspiring friend, LaQuisha Hall, to be the Keynote Speaker for the ceremony. The purpose of Queendom T.E.A is to assist teenage girls with building self-confidence, developing their etiquette knowledge and recognizing the value of giving back to their community.

As a survivor of sexual abuse with 6 years of teaching experience in the Baltimore County School System, LaQuisha developed an understanding and familiarity with the pressures that teenage girls are challenged with. She created the Queendom as a way to be a mentor and provide a strong, evolving moral support system.

Some of the ladies have been in the program for 3 years now and are maturing into beautiful community members with a definitive purpose in their life. During this ceremony, they received crowns as a sign of their achievement and contributions to their group and communities.

Queendom is also supported by Stop the Silence - Stop Child Sexual Abuse and many other local businesses and partners. The Queendom is growing and influencing lives everyday - which is exactly why I was so excited and feel blessed to have been a part of the crowning ceremony.

As a facilitator for the Campaign for Real Beauty, I have witnessed and experienced low self-esteem in young girls - with active and encouraging mentors involved, young girls can grow up knowing that it's not about looks - but is about heart, character, personal conviction, and confidence.

As a mom, I hope that when my daughter is older there continues to be programs, like Queendom, that will strive to support girls in a world that is driven by appearance instead of character.

As a woman, I hope that girls grow up understanding that what appears on the pages of magazines or on TV is not a vision of what they should look like - it's just TV and it's just a magazine. Look to your mothers, mentors, influential women, etc for those role models - for they will show you that the power of the mind and the character of the heart are more beautiful than any picture in a magazine.



(Pictured above - w/LaQuisha Hall accepting appreciation award and with Angel McCoy, Mrs. MD International 2010, who was in attendance as a volunteer)