Imagine, for just 2 seconds, that your life hangs in the balance and the only people that can save you from certain death, are complete strangers.

I do not have to imagine it, I live it - everyday. Instead of being a victim of a rare blood disorder or the survivor of a near death experience, I choose to be a LIVING TESTIMONY of the need for blood donors. As an advocate and spokesperson working with the nation's two largest blood collection organizations, I hope to connect donors to the lives they save through education, encouragement and open communication. Together, we can save lives, one pint at a time.


Every 2 seconds, someone requires a blood transfusion to live.

That's why "It's Hip 2 Give!"

Check out the "Are You My Type?" commercial!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Safe Blood Africa

As The Foundation for America's Blood Centers (FABC) works to support it's affilliates in North America, it is also mindful of the millions in need around the world.

Evident in it's recent effort to assist with the devastation in Japan, it's outreach to Haiti, and it's assistance after Hurricane Katrina, the FABC seeks to improve the lives of those in need. One that the FABC supports to do just that is the "Safe Blood Africa Project".

The FABC believes that no man, woman, or child should die for lack of access to a safe and adequate blood supply. Working together with The Safe Blood Africa Project—an initiative started by the Rotary Club of Carmel Valley—four California-based not-for-profit blood centers will help bring safe blood programs to Nigeria. Dumbfounded when they learned of needless deaths because safe blood was simply not available, professionals from BloodSource (Sacramento), Stanford Blood Center, Northern California Community Blood Center (Eureka) and Blood Bank of the Redwoods (Santa Rosa) stepped up to save lives. Three of these blood centers are members of America’s Blood Centers, which collects half the U.S. blood supply.

This U.S. blood banking team is committed to teaching Nigerians to encourage blood donation by volunteer donors and to teach Nigerians how to collect, test, process and transfuse blood in the safest way possible. Working together with Rotary Clubs across the United States and in Nigeria, as well as funding sources that can support this effort, the goal is to create sustainable blood donor and transfusion medicine programs in Nigeria that will assure that no child dies needlessly because safe blood is not plentiful.

I have stressed before that the need for safe and clean blood supply affects every individual in every corner of the world. In the moment of an emergency, there is not time to question if the hospital near your home or while you are on vacation is ready to handle your need for blood, so programs like the "Safe Blood Africa Project" are working on your behalf.

If you are interested in supporting the "Safe Blood Africa Project" through donations, please visit this America's Blood Center link for more information.
Posted by at 3/27/2011 03:28:00 PM

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