Your Red Cross Update

For many, the prospect of donating blood comes with certain apprehensions. Most Americans who are eligible and healthy enough to donate blood choose not to do so. But Sarah Montoya from San Francisco makes a point of going out of her way to donate whenever she’s able, as she knows firsthand the lifesaving power a single blood donation contains.

Five years ago, Sarah discovered that her 10-month-old son had a Wilms tumor growing on his kidney. He was one of the 43 children who, on average, are diagnosed with cancer in America every single day.

He needed blood transfusions to survive the surgery that would ultimately save his life. Since then, Sarah start donating blood with the Red Cross. “I am so grateful that I can help people the same way my son has been helped,” she said.

As a busy parent, and as someone who has low blood pressure and a low heart rate, donating blood is not a simple task for Sarah. “Yes its uncomfortable, but you will be saving lives,” she said.

Sarah knows sometimes a blood donation can make all the difference for accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer, like her son once did. There’s no substitute for blood. When a patient receives this gift of life, is because of the generosity and selflessness of people like Sarah.

If you want to learn more about blood donations or how to sign up to donate visit redcrossblood.org