My dad passed away last August after a heroic fight against Stage 4 Lymphoma. While he underwent treatment, he received nearly 100 blood transfusions; some days he would receive more than one transfusion. I was always struck by the generosity of others who donated blood that gave him the strength to continue to fight.

When I was thinking about how to honor my dad in some way as we approach his first anniversary,
I kept coming back to this small act of kindness.

I was very close with my dad and I miss him a lot. His greatest joy (besides giving me a hard time) was being the grandfather of four beautiful boys. He was never one to ask for help and I know he deeply appreciated the care he received while at the hospital.

I know it’s the middle of a global pandemic. Many of you aren’t seeing your friends and family let alone going to donate blood. It seems like a strange time to ask for this kind of donation, but the truth is there is a blood shortage nationwide. People like my dad and so many others need these donations to help them to get through the battles they fight.

If you feel comfortable and/or are able to donate, it could make all the difference in someone’s fight. The American Red Cross is also offering COVID antibody testing for free as part of its blood collection services.