November 1, 2021 started my campaign to encourage everyone to donate blood. I have been donating blood every since I worked for Kmart in Louisiana in 1982 or 1983. We were having a blood drive at the store and my store manager Mr. Frantz encouraged me to donor. He said that it was a wonderful thing. After that first time, I never looked back. I started donating every time that I was able to do so.
There are 90,000 people in the United States are affected by Sickle Cell disease. African Americans make up 98% of those cases. I learned that African Americans do not donate at the same rate as others. Donors with a strong genetic match, such as someone with an African descent, can best help the patient. They need regular blood transfusions to treat sudden pain crises. Please save lives, please help and donor today, and keep donating until they say stop. You may have time to donor twice before my campaign ends on January 8, 2022. #give it up. Let me know when you donor. I gave today.