Blood donors often motivated by desire to help others
by Annie Lovering, R.N.Red Cross Donor Room
Working in blood collections for the Red Cross gives me the privilege of meeting a diverse and large number of incredibly kind and generous people.
In addition, working at the MUSC fixed site can provide touching moments from those who drop by to donate blood while visiting loved ones in the hospital.
Heath
and Buck Owen
Recently, Heath and Buck Owen appeared in the donor room doorway without an appointment, and I asked them if they wanted to donate blood. Heath began to cry and said, “My baby is having surgery tomorrow.”
When I explained that we don’t do directed donations in the donor room, Buck said, “We realize that, we just want to replace the blood our son has already received.”
Delving into the story a little further, I discovered that Heath delivered triplets 10 weeks earlier at 30 weeks gestation. Rebecca, 3 pounds and 5 ounces, and Turner, 3 pounds and 7 ounces, were already home. But William, who weighed 2 pounds and 5 ounces, was born in distress with a diaphragmatic hernia. Because he was unstable, his hernia repair was planned and canceled numerous times, and because of infection and immature bone marrow, he received six blood transfusions.
Although Heath was eligible to donate blood by our standards, I asked her if she was sure she wanted to do so; she was already handling so many stressors. Without hesitation, she insisted on donating blood.
Seeing Heath and Buck side by side and listening to their comments reminded me of the importance of our mission.
“Someone else took the time to help William, so we want to help other people,” Heath said.
“It only hurts for seconds,” Buck added. “You don’t have to be rich or special. You may not be able to give $30 but you can give 30 minutes. Anyone can try to give blood. You know you can definitely touch three lives.”
Heath started donating blood at the College of Charleston when she was 18 years old, and Buck started while in the Navy at age 19.
When focusing on donation numbers, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that we continually provide a safe, life-saving product that affects people of all ages.
I hope this remarkable couple knows they have not only given the gift
of life for two decades, but they have also given the gift of inspiration
to myself and countless others.
Friday, April 9, 2004
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