American Red Cross Month- March 16th

Today has been an exciting day for me! I donated blood for the first time since being crowned Miss Greater Hartsville! Now you may think to yourself what makes that so different from every other time? Well, this was the first donation since I declared "Be a Hero: Donate Blood, Save a Life" as my platform, and now that I'm directly connected to the Red Cross as both a donor and public figure, it is even more fulfilling for me. After any blood donation, the sense of gratification is instant, but it was even more so this time. I'm a firm believer that firsthand experience is the best way to learn, so being able to let people know that I'm a regular donor and putting their minds at ease about the whole process is of significant importance to me. Now I feel complete. I have made my donation during National American Red Cross Month and saved a life. What an irreplaceable feeling! My running total changed to 6 pints of blood that I have donated since I first began. There is nothing like being a hero!

The blood drive I attended was held on USC's campus. Here, I was getting prepped and ready to donate!

 A stick and sting! That's it! 

 Pumping my pint! It takes no time at all!

There's my donation! Have you made yours?

Since I've been through a blood donation today, I thought I would give you all a brief overview about the normal donation process for today's Red Cross Month fact! When you first arrive, you read materials outlining the requirements to donate blood. After that, you go into a cubicle with a nurse and he or she takes your vitals and you answer a short questionnaire. Once all that is finished, you're ready to donate! You're taken over to a donation chair where you have a stick and a sting, then you pump your pint! That's it! Simple, easy, and not time consuming! I know you all can do it!

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, but people who need blood transfusions can't count on luck! They are depending on your donations! Here is a blood drive being held March 17th:

Boiling Springs United Methodist Church- Lexington

Don't forget on your fixed Blood Donation Centers located around the state. Refer to yesterday's blog post or the official Red Cross website for more information about them!