Hello! I’m 30! Wow!

I’m hoping you’ll join me in celebrating 30 trips around the sun by doing something really important to me—donating blood. It’s not a small ask, I have no delusions about that, but we each have the opportunity to positively impact the lives of up to 3 people and there’s something so gratifying and equally humbling about spending an hour donating a literal part of you and knowing it will help someone else.

For 30 years, I’d love for 30 people to donate, myself included!

I do think it bears mentioning that there are certain aspects of donating blood that I’m not keen on—in particular some screening practices. While strides were made in 2020 when the FDA reduced the deferral period from 12 to 3 months for gay, bisexual, and other LGBTQ people, the goal is ultimately for deferral to be fully lifted. To read more about the progress made in 2020 and the continued work to be done, see https://www.glaad.org/releases/fda-revises-its-ban-gay-and-bisexual-men-donating-blood-following-public-pressure-glaad. I also don’t love the finger prick part of donating blood, but that pales in comparison.

I really hope you’ll join me—whether it’ll be your first or fiftieth donation—in celebrating #30for30 by donating blood by the end of the year. Thank you so much for considering, signing up, sharing, celebrating, donating, and helping me reach my goal! <3