Big Battle for a Little Girl

Written by Jan Hale, American Red Cross Blood Services
 

We most often hear of life-altering diseases affecting their victims later in life. While these are always hard stories to tell and to receive, they seem to be all the more heart-breaking when the life they are affecting has just begun.

At only 3 years old, Reece Griffin was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) on April 16, 2015. ALL is a potentially life-threatening illness that can cause bone or joint pain, reoccurring infections and fatigue. Reece has had to receive numerous blood transfusions since her diagnosis, and she still has a long way to go.

On July 14, the American Red Cross is operating a blood drive in honor of Reece. We would like to encourage area residents to honor her and all of the other patients in the DFW metroplex in need of blood this summer by donating at the event.

“We can never thank those that rolled up a sleeve to give the blood that Reece has already received,” said Reece’s mom, Roxxy Griffin. “But, we can help educate our friends, neighbors and others on the importance of giving blood, especially during summer.”

The summer is an especially difficult time to collect enough blood to meet the needs of hospital patients. Many regular donors are traveling and vacationing, so summertime donors are extremely vital to ensuring that our area hospitals receive enough blood to fulfill patient needs. Blood donors with all types, particularly O negative, A negative and B negative, are urged to make an appointment.

Donate Blood in Honor of Reece McKenzie Griffin

Tuesday, July 14, 10:00 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Math/Science/Technology Magnet School

450 Abrams Road, Richardson, Texas

To make an appointment to donate, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org (Sponsor code: reecemckenzie) or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

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Download the Blood App for Blood Donor Month

Life (or afterlife) as a vampire just got easier thanks to the new American Red Cross Blood Donor App. The latest of many American Red Cross apps provides users with information to schedule blood donations, track their total donations, get rewards, and invite friends to join them on a lifesaving team.

“As the nation’s single largest supplier of blood and blood products, the Red Cross is uniquely positioned to bring this cutting edge technology to blood and platelet donors,” said Shaun Gilmore, president of Red Cross Biomedical Services. “Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood, and the Blood Donor App is a new way to help meet that constant need.”

Through the Blood Donor App, users can schedule and manage their donation appointments, track the lifetime impact of their donations and recruit friends and family to roll up a sleeve with them. Other features of the app include:

• A blood drive or blood donation center locator;  
• The ability to sync a blood donation appointment with the user’s calendar;
• Personalized “selfies” donors can use as they share their donation experience through social media; 
• Special badges donors can unlock as they interact with the app, make donations and spread the word; 
• A chance for donors to come together to form teams, track their cumulative impact and view standings on the Blood Donor Teams Leaderboard; and
• Uplifting donor and blood recipient stories that show the power of rolling up a sleeve to help save lives.

Blood Donor App users will also get unique “thank yous” from the Red Cross and its partners – exclusive offers and discounts from some of America’s best brands.

The Red Cross has become a leader in putting vital safety information in the hands of people who need it during emergencies, with its award-winning disaster and preparedness apps downloaded more than 5 million times over the past two years. The new Blood Donor App takes it one step further by helping people save lives through blood donations.

The Blood Donor App, along with the others, can be found in app stores by searching for American Red Cross, visiting redcross.org/apps or redcrossblood.org/bloodapp, or by texting BLOODAPP to 90999 for a direct link to download. Message and data rates for texting may apply.

Eligible blood donors do not need a smart phone to schedule an appointment to give blood. Appointments can always be made by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by visiting redcrossblood.org.

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Clarice Tinsley's Hometown Heroes: David Kasten

Written by Kyla Campbell
We already knew it but now it is official! 

David Kasten is a Hero, a Hometown Hero in fact. 

A while back, we wrote about David when he hit his 1,000th volunteer hour and now, Fox 4 named him this week's Hometown Hero in Clarice Tinsley's weekly spotlight.  

It has been said that one should "do what you can, with what you have, where you are." At the Red Cross, we see volunteers each and every day completing tasks with their varied God given skills all across this country. Each role, no matter the size, impacts someone's life. 

David Kasten impacts others by hitting the road every day to do what he can, with what he has, where he is. It just so happens that where he is, is all over North Texas, transporting donor's blood to hospital doors and we are lucky to have him!

Congratulations, David!
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