For someone else’s tomorrow

It all started my Junior year of High School. It was the first time I would be donating and to be honest I was pretty excited about it! It was early February when the Oklahoma Blood Institute showed up, and I couldn’t wait. In earlier years even before High School I wanted to donate. I’ve always wanted to help and feel like I was making a difference in someone’s life, and little did I know I would be making a difference years later. I’m a Senior now and I can hardly wait the six months I am supposed to wait to donate again! I just love the feeling I get knowing I can help save lives, and four lives at that. My junior year I was a bit skeptical about a needle going in my arm and losing some of my blood.. But lone and behold I had that one friend who convinced me to donate and told me what I would be doing. His name was Brandon. My senior year I have donated again and was sad that I couldn’t donate doubles like I wanted too.. I was underweight by five pounds, but that didn’t stop me. I donated all I could and shared some laughs with the people taking my blood. They were so happy that I was excited to donate and it only made me feel better and more confident about donating again as soon as possible. My mother had a blood transfusion when I was younger, and I was scared. I had no idea what that was and what it did at the time till someone told me. I am O+ and knowing that I can donate to anyone and help those who need some blood because of blood loss, or need some blood for a blood transfusion, it makes me feel accomplished and good inside knowing I can help and make a difference in their lives. In today’s society according to redcross it is “estimated that 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood at any given time, less than 10% of that eligible population actually do each year.” I love helping people and I wish others cared about it as much as I do. But alas, all I can do is do my part and raise awareness and convince those who can donate to donate and save a life. I was really proud of my friend Jessie who donated for her first time! I kept talking about it and bugging her about it weeks prior, but it paid off! So me, Brandon and Jessie all walked to the auditorium lobby where the donations were happening and we all donated. Me and Jessie donating singles, and Brandon donations doubles like he did last year. By the end of  it when all was said and done we walked out smiling knowing that we made a difference. We will donate again and continue donating because if we don’t who will? That is why it is our job to donate and find future donors who will help make a difference.