Give a gift
There is lots of talk right now of giving gifts that don't cost a lot, are meaningful, handmade, etc.
I have an idea. If you can, give blood.
We live near a Red Cross center that always has signs imploring people to stop in and give blood. I never go in. My town is near many hospitals that have blood donating centers. I never go to them. I used to give blood regularly but just fell out of the habit.
But my dad needed blood a few years ago.
My sons needed blood when they were born. At one point while they were in the hospital there was a shortage of donated blood and all the parents with babies in the neonatal ICU were assured that our infants would always have blood.
There is a hospital that has a mobile van stationed for one day every other month outside of the train station I go in and out of. Last week I finally went into it to start giving blood again.
It was relatively painless. There was no bruising. And while eating my required snack (fig newtons - yummy) and juice I wrote the following anonymous note on a card to attach to a stuffed animal for a pediatric patient:My sons needed blood transfusions when they were babies and now are healthy big guys. You will be healthy too. Happy holidays from your blood donor.
Please consider giving blood in the next week or so. Go to Give Life and find out where you can donate. Think of it as the gift you were meant to give.
8 comments:
That is such an amazing gift! We took stuffed animals to our Children's hospital this, and the coordinator was telling us how they sent as many children home as they possibly could so they could be home for Christmas. I though that was amazing (and a lot of work to prepare, transport and supervise).
I so hope I can remember to do this next year!
Happy Holidays!
I donated blood for the first time about 2 months ago. I had tried before, but low iron stopped me.
I was pretty thrilled, and plan to every time we have a blood drive at work. Usually every other month or so. Its good.
I have a tendency to pass out when I give blood (even at the doctor's office) so I kind of avoid it. And I generally have been unable to donate over the past few years due to various things streaming through my bloodstream. Perhaps I can donate cookies instead?
For years I've been thinking "I should give blood"
....and I've never done it. I should, I really should just do it.
This is a timely reminder, SMID. This is something we can still do no matter what the economic situation.
Thank you for reminding me. I get so many phone calls from the Red Cross that my kids know to tell them "he's not home". But it's that time again, and I'd like to go again before the new year starts.
Thanks for the reminder! I need to get over this cold so I can go donate. I've lost track of how many Gallon Pins I've gotten over the years, but we always donate at least a couple of times a year and in some years it's been a lot more than that. When Fireball was in the hospital 5 years ago and needed lots of blood, I was glad we had that aspect covered, at least.
Brilliant idea.
Post a Comment